What Christmas Means to You and Me

Luke 2:11-12 (NIV) says, Today, in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

Before the world began, Jesus lived in heaven—a far more glorious place than you or I can ever imagine. Yet because you and I needed a Savior, He left paradise and came to earth as a tiny baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Just let that soak in for a moment—Jesus came to rescue you. And the way He came and how He lived as a man on this earth reveals so much to us about the true character of God and His amazing love for all of us. And Christmas is the perfect time to celebrate the miracle of His love.

That night in Bethlehem, our infant Savior was humbly laid on a simple bed of straw. As a boy, He played and studied in the modest household of a carpenter. As a man, Jesus lived His life as a perfect example, enduring every kind of earthly temptation, yet without sinning. And then He humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross so you and I might have eternal life.

Philippians 2:8-9 says that because Jesus humbled Himself to the extreme, …God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name (AMPC).

For you and I, Jesus is no longer a helpless infant or even just a grown-up man. But we can know Him as the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and the Great I Am (Revelation 17:14; Exodus 3:14). His greatness goes beyond what any one of us can fully comprehend! He is The Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8), The Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6), and The Good Shepherd (John 10:11).

Through a personal relationship with Jesus, you can know Him intimately as all of these.

As you prepare for the Christmas season and begin to celebrate the miracle of His love, I encourage you to ponder the majesty of God and the goodness and power He brings to your life. Having a close, personal relationship with Jesus is truly the greatest gift of all.

If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can do that right now. Just open your heart to Him and pray this prayer…

“Jesus, I know that I have made mistakes and I need You to save my life—I need You as my Savior. I have tried to do things on my own for too long, and I know it doesn’t work. So, today I give my life to You. I believe that You died on the cross for my sins and that You rose from the dead. Help me to live my life for You and You alone. Thank You for Your unending love, forgiveness and grace in my life. Thank You for a fresh start! Today, I start out my new life as a part of Your family.”

If you just prayed that prayer, I’m so excited to welcome you into God’s family! I also have some scriptures and encouragement to share with you. To help you get started on your journey with Jesus, visit joycemeyer.org/KnowJesus