Everyone loves the beauty of the manger scene, the twinkling stars, the quiet night, the shepherds kneeling in awe, and the Son of God wrapped in cloth and lying in a manger. It feels peaceful, gentle, and pure, a moment untouched by the brokenness of the world. But if the story stops there, the deeper reason for the Christmas season is lost. The manger was not the end of the story; it was the beginning of a rescue mission. Every cry from that infant in Bethlehem echoed with purpose. The Creator had entered his creation to redeem it.
The angel told Joseph, “You shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus came to live the perfect life humanity could not live, to keep every commandment that had been broken, and to die and rise for the forgiveness of all. The wood of the manger points to the wood of the cross. Without the cross, Christmas is only a warm story. With it, Christmas becomes the way God carries out his salvation work, paying for sin in full, setting us free from guilt and death, and welcoming us into eternal life with him.
Prayer: Jesus, help every heart that sees the cradle also see the cross, and rest in the salvation you accomplished there.
Additional Questions You Might Have
Susan’s Story: The blessing of recognizing my failure.
This is the story of a woman who discovers how her failures open her heart to the mystery of Heavenly Father’s unfathomable love.
