“Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43b-45, NLT)
I have seven nativities scattered around our home, not to mention our nativity Christmas tree ornaments. My Christmas newsletter’s 7-day devotion “A Savior Was Born for You,” begins with Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
I find that leading up to Christmas, I focus on the birth of Jesus, the Son, the Child, and I neglect the government on His shoulder and why the Son was given. Instead, I think of Mary’s and Joseph’s devotion to God and His plans even though they didn’t fully understand them. I think of the miracle of the virgin birth, the angels proclaiming Jesus’ birth, the shepherds watching their sheep and then adoring the Great Shepherd. I smile and remember the wise men coming from the East bringing gifts and worshiping the All-Wise King.
Beautiful stories of God’s love, His goodness, and His glory. Beautiful stories and promises made possible by the self-sacrifice that was to come.
