Devotion 12/26, He Came To Serve

He did not come to be pampered and served, but to be a suffering servant himself (Matthew 20:28).

Well, Christ is born, Emmanuel, God with us. Now it’s time to meditate on not just the birth but the life of Jesus as well. He experienced the same things we do, and because of this, he can empathize with our human frailties (Hebrews 4:15). He did not come to be served, but to serve. Remember, the disciples didn’t wash His feet, He washed theirs! As we return to our daily tasks, duties, and responsibilities after Christmas, we should shift our focus from the birth of Jesus to his life, his work, and his death, burial, and Resurrection. When we start to get bogged down with the concerns of this daily life, we need to look beyond those things and recognize that they are in the hands of the Father who loves us and takes care of us (Matthew 6:31–34).

So what should we think about on the day after Christmas? As we put away the gifts we have been given, or even as we use them, we should consider them reminders that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). As we leave family behind, perhaps to not see them for another year, we can meditate on our relationship to God because of the work of Christ (Galatians 3:26), and as with our earthly families, we can look forward to the time when we will be in the presence of Christ. That will be a family reunion that will never end in bittersweet goodbyes, but will go on for all eternity! Finally, as the gifts we received wear out or are used up, we can thank God that his gift to us is eternal (Romans 6:23). Like the Apostle Paul we should be thinking of this gift of salvation and expressing our gratitude to God.

Lord, with your gift of Christ fresh on our minds, let us remember His journey on this earth. He was born, lived and died for us. As we approach each day, let us remember His life is our model for each day. What we do and how we do it should be a reflection of our faith in you. Thank you for the love you shower down on your people each and everyday. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

Almighty Father, so much that you do seems to be so personal, as if you had me on your mind. As a sinner, I fail so often to stay focused on you, to wander. Satan’s very good at distracting one’s attention, but it shows the lack of conviction on my part to stay focused on you in all I say and do. I pray for strength of conviction to You and your Word. Thank you for keeping me on your mind and providing me with just the right tools to work through this journey of life. I seek you in my heart at all times. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.