Joy: A Countdown to Christmasနမူနာ

A Costly Gift When the magi came from the east to worship Jesus, they brought with them expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Think about how awkward it would have been if Mary and Joseph had said: “We appreciate the thought, but these presents are just too nice for us, so we can’t accept them.” It sounds absurd, and yet it’s easy to respond this way when God tries to bless us. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, He gives us His Holy Spirit who cultivates good fruit in our lives that make us more like Him. Joy is one of those gifts. Unfortunately, joy is often forfeited when you choose behaviors that dishonor God, or when you view yourself as unworthy of Christ’s love. But, when you allow Christ to transform your heart and mind, you begin to see yourself the way He sees you: called by His name and saved by His blood. As you fall in love with Jesus, you start to crave His gifts, and dishonorable behavior becomes less attractive. Today, remember that God loves you more than life itself: that’s why He chose to come to earth as a baby all those years ago. There is nothing He wouldn’t do to draw you closer to Him. It’s because of Christmas that you can accept the greatest gift of all: the joy that comes from knowing Jesus Christ as Savior, Lord, and lover of your life. Pray this Prayer: Lord, thank You for the gift of Jesus and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Thank You for coming to earth as a baby so that I could spend eternity with You. Today and every day, I choose to worship You joyfully because I love You.