23 days before Christmas! From now until Christmas day, our daily devotions will be about the coming of the birth of our Lord Jesus and His birth on Christmas day. The first hint of the birth of our Lord Jesus is in Genesis 3:15, which says, "And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." The above verse is part of the curse of the serpent for tempting Eve to eat the forbidden fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan was the serpent. God told Satan that his offspring, the fallen angels and those who follow his ways, and the offspring of Eve, the human beings, would have hostility toward each other. Out of the offspring of Eve, who is going to strike or bruise the head of Satan, is our Lord Jesus. Galatians 4:4-5 says, "But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children." God allowed Satan to strike or bruise the heel of our Lord Jesus by killing Jesus on the cross, but through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, Jesus struck or bruised the head of Satan. Jesus defeated Satan on the cross when Jesus bought our freedom by dying on the cross and being resurrected on the third day.
When Satan influenced the minds of the Roman soldiers and the religious leaders to kill Jesus on the cross, he thought that he defeated Jesus. But Satan didn't realize that God was using him to fulfill his purpose by allowing Jesus to die on the cross for our salvation. Satan also didn't realize that Jesus is the eternal God, so Jesus cannot stay in the grave. On the third day, Jesus was resurrected from the grave. When Jesus was born, God knew that the reason He was born in this world was to save us from our sins by sacrificing His life on the cross. The reason we call Jesus the Savior of the world is because He came to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. The meaning of Christmas is our Lord Jesus and not the gifts that we get. God sent Jesus to us to be our Savior.
As we anticipate Christmas this year, let us think about the reason Jesus was born on this earth. He was born to save us from sin and the influence and power of Satan.
Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Who strikes or bruises the head of Satan? Why was Jesus born in this world? What is the meaning of Christmas?
Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.
Prayer:
Dear Father in Heaven, thank you for reminding me today of the reason Jesus was born in this world. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your willingness to be born, die, and be resurrected on the third day to save me from my sins and give me hope and eternal life. Please help me always remember that the meaning of Christmas is my Lord Jesus. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Comments