A Thrill of Hope

12/01/24 – 12/04/24

Heaven’s Loving Hand

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  12/03/24

Read Luke 2:1-7.

There is a good reason why Jesus was not born in Caesar’s mansion or Herod’s court. He was born in the humblest of towns in the dirtiest of places so He could assure us that however filthy our hearts, He can dwell there today. And when He takes up residence, His blood makes the filthiest sinner white as snow (see Isaiah 1:18). There is no life that God cannot redeem, and in His sovereignty, He uses all circumstances to fulfill His loving plan for every one of His children (see Romans 8:28).

Consider how God orchestrated events so that His Son would be born in Bethlehem, just as it had been foretold centuries earlier. From his throne in Rome, Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken of the whole empire. But although it was Caesar’s decree, it was God’s providence. So it is with your life: Nothing is outside of the hands of God. He is at work to draw you to Himself; He is always at work to fulfill His loving promises. It is His sovereign will that you are reading this message about His glorious Gospel even now.

God’s incredible love sent Jesus from heaven to a lowly manger-cradle, divinely placed in Bethlehem. He grew and walked among us until His mission to save took Him to the cross to atone for your sins and mine. From the cross, Jesus’ lifeless body was placed in a borrowed tomb, but on the third day, that tomb was found empty because Jesus had risen from the dead to offer the same resurrection to all who believe.

Jerome was a fourth-century Christian who first translated the Bible into Latin. On one Christmas Eve, while living in Bethlehem, Jerome had a dream in which he sensed Jesus asking him, “What are you going to give Me for My birthday?” Jerome replied that he would give the Lord the new translation of the Bible he had prepared. But Jesus said that wasn’t what He wanted. Jerome offered to give Him all his money and possessions, but Jesus didn’t want these either. Jesus said to him, “Jerome, give Me all your sins. I came from heaven to earth for them—to take them away.”

This Christmas, bring Jesus all your sins. Let Him cast them as far as the east is from the west, and receive a new life, a new heart, and a new beginning in Christ, your Redeemer.

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for coming to take away my sins. Help me to surrender them all to You and receive Your grace that empowers me to live for You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David” (Luke 2:4).