Sunday, December 31, 2023

Christ’s Birth Says It All By Becky Van Vleet #devotional

Christ’s Birth Says It All

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).

 

Have we settled down from the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, card giving, cookie baking, children’s school programs, busy stores, family gatherings, and everything in-between, now that Christmas is over?

Or is it over?

No, not really.

Now we can enjoy the 12 Days of Christmas, December 26 to January 6, and hopefully our lives have slowed down a bit as we reflect on Christ’s birth to the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6 as the day when the manifestation of Christ’s glory was realized.

Sometimes people struggle with a letdown, even depression, after Christmas. Energy levels change and anxiety ramps up with how to pay the charge card. Post-holiday blues of emptiness frequently follow the intense rush of Christmas. But the 12 Days of Christmas, often overlooked, can provide a much-needed calmness and an even richer reflection of the reason for the season. No hustle and bustle involved, no big plans to make, just a wondrous down-time of thanksgiving of God’s promise to deliver His Son in the form of a baby for our salvation.

Speaking of promises, as we enter into a new calendar year, we can be thankful we serve a God who is unequivocally faithful with ALL of His promises. Whether we find ourselves on top of the mountain or in the deepest valley in 2024, we have God’s promise of infinite love and an endless supply of grace.

His promises are not reliant upon our age, socio-economic status, race, education, what kind of car we drive or our jobs. God blankets all of us, His children, with exceedingly great and precious promises (2Peter 1:4 NKJV) to demonstrate His power and sustain our faith. All we have to do is embrace His promises by believing and trusting.

Make no mistake, we don’t have to worry that God might change His mind or alter His promises. He is not a flippant God and His word is rock solid. In fact, the apostle Paul tells us that God’s promises are for real: “For all the promises of God in Him are yes” (2Corinthians 1:30 NKJV).

And that little baby in the manger? His birth says it all. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).

By Becky Van Vleet

  


Becky Van Vleet is a retired teacher and principal and award-winning multi-genre author. She has been published in Guideposts, The Country Register, and Christian Devotions Ministry. Her children’s picture books are the recipients of the 2020 Excellence in Editing award as well as the Purple Dragonfly award in 2020 and 2021. She and her husband make their home close to Colorado Springs where she enjoys gardening, hiking, oil painting, power walking, and spending time with her family, especially reading books to her grandchildren.

Becky is the author of Unintended Hero, a true story about her father’s battles, experiences, and adventures in WWII aboard the USS Denver. She is passionate about sharing the values from the Greatest Generation and enjoys speaking to high school classes about patriotism.

A member of ACFW and Allauthor, Becky has devoted her website to creating and preserving family memories and sharing family stories for the next generations through her monthly blogs. 

You can find her at: https://beckyvanvleet.com. She would love to hear from you, especially if you have a family story to share!

 

Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorbeckyvanvleet/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/becky-van-vleet-ms-806055181/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/becky_van_vleet_author/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/beckyvanvleet/ 

Amazon Central Author Page: https://amzn.to/3INHIPB 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/125841473-becky-van-vleet

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beckyvanvleet9907

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/becky-van-vleet

 

 



No comments:

Hope – A Supernatural Abstraction #Devotional by Laura Poole

  Hope – A Supernatural Abstraction   “Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words.” ~...