Read 2 Corinthians 12:6-10. Jesus, God of very God, had an earthly mother so that we might have a heavenly Father. He made Himself human so that we might know everlasting life. And if we are to live for Him now, we must follow Him on the path of finding strength in weakness. On this side of heaven, before Christ returns, it is only by learning to trust in what we cannot see that we can be truly strong. For when we trust in our own abilities, we are trusting in our flesh—which will ultimately fail us and can bear no lasting fruit. Paul’s own weakness—his thorn in his flesh—tormented him, and he pleaded with the Lord three times to have it removed. But God was teaching Paul not to rely on himself but on God (see 2 Corinthians 1:9). Through it all, Paul realized that only by boasting in his weaknesses could Christ’s power rest upon him. Christ came to save people who have come to the end of themselves—who are weary of trusting in their own strength. Where in your life do you currently feel weak? It is in this very area that He wants to magnify Himself. God is a good Father who is ready and willing to come to your aid. His grace is sufficient for you! Prayer: Lord, every moment of the day I need You. And You are there. You will never leave me or forsake me. You are faithful and true. May I glorify You with every breath You give me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Read Romans 5:15 and 2 Corinthians 9:15. This Christmas, every gift you receive will pale in comparison to the ultimate gift—salvation in Christ Jesus. This gift from God to the world, revealed in human history at the birth of Jesus Christ, is truly incomprehensible. I’ve read through the Bible every year for decades, but I still find myself speechless when it comes to trying to describe how wonderful salvation truly is. How can I do justice to the reality that a sinner like me can be forgiven? “[A]s far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). This promise, the message the angels declared to poor shepherds (see Luke 2:10-11), is enough to make me shout. Christ Jesus came to earth to remove our filthy rags of self-righteousness, shame, and guilt. In their place, He clothes us in His perfect righteousness. And, as if that weren’t enough, He made it possible for all who believe in Him to be adopted into the family of God—enjoying all the privileges of being His sons and daughters. Most startling of all, this great gift is granted not to God’s friends but to His enemies (see Romans 5:8). This Christmas and every day, may we exclaim with the apostle Paul, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15). Prayer: Lord, what a wondrous love You displayed on that cross. Though I deserve Your wrath, You called me out of darkness and shower me with grace upon grace. May I live a life that honors You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 6:4-10. At the end of time, every eye will behold the fearful beauty of Christ. Every knee will bow before Him; every tongue will confess that He is Lord. But you would never expect this if you only judged Jesus by His beginnings in Bethlehem. For believers on this side of heaven, this same principle holds true. In the eyes of the world, we may be regarded as “imposters; . . . unknown; . . . poor, . . . having nothing” (vv. 8-10). But in Truth, we are known by God, alive in Christ, always rejoicing, rich in spiritual blessings, and possessing everything. Some of you may be puzzled by your current circumstances—just as it was bewildering for the King of kings to be born in squalor. You may be disappointed with what’s happening in your life, feeling perplexed, fearful, or despondent. But don’t make the mistake of judging the end by the beginning. Remember all that is yours in Christ. Christian, God is not finished with you yet. He is still in the business of using “the weak things of the world to shame the strong” (1 Corinthians 1:27). So today, trust God with the trajectory of your life. Even now, He is working all things together for your good. Even now, He is transforming you “into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Prayer: Thank You that I am truly alive in You, Lord. I know You are at work in my life, renewing me day by day. May I submit to Your will and grow in godliness by the power of Your Spirit. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

QUESTION: “In Matthew 2, men from the East seek Jesus. Why do we call them wise men?” ANSWER: These influential and powerful men from Persia studied the movements of stars and planets. While Israel was in exile among the Persians, these astronomers saw how God had supernaturally empowered the prophet Daniel to interpret dreams, withstand intense persecution, and accurately predict the rise and fall of nations. Astonished at these events, they paid close attention to Daniel’s news of the coming of the Anointed One, which God revealed to him hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth (see Daniel 9). From then on, the Persian astronomers anticipated a sign of this coming heavenly King. And they passed that expectation on from generation to generation. When they finally saw it, they knew that the time had come to worship Jesus. They knew that the God of heaven had come to Earth. You see, God’s glory was manifested in the galaxies. The birth of His one and only divine, sinless Son was proclaimed in the heavens. And so those pagan people traveled to Bethlehem to bow to Jesus. Why do we call them wise? Because only the wise worship Jesus. Only the wise recognize their need for the Savior. Only the wise seek the one true God and long for a personal relationship with Him. Only the wise do not waste their lives running after false gods, empty promises, and dead-end roads. So in this season, I encourage you to take stock of your life and ask yourself: Am I wise? Today, you can welcome and worship Jesus and be counted among the wise.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-18. Jesus was born a man so that we who love Him could become citizens of heaven. Though He was God, He laid aside the manifestation of His glory to come and identify with us—humbling Himself so that He could set us free from sin and make us new by the power of His Spirit. This is what we celebrate at Christmas. Jesus was born as one of us to reconcile us to God and raise us to new life in Him (see 2 Corinthians 5:17-18). The King of kings was welcomed to earth by poor and humble shepherds so that we who believe in Him might be received by our infinite and matchless Father in heaven. But as we celebrate the joyous occasion of Christ’s birth, we shouldn’t view Him today as the baby in a manger. Even now, Christ is reigning at the right hand of God. His time on earth as a suffering servant is complete—and He will soon return as a conquering King. One day, Christ will come to finish His work and make all of creation fully and completely new—free from sin, death, and shame forever. From His humble birth to His obedient death, He won this for us. So, as we celebrate what He has done, let us fix our eyes on the hope of what He will soon do. Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for making me new and giving me the promise of eternal life with You. I rejoice in the hope of Your return. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Read 2 Corinthians 8:9. At the time of the birth of Jesus Christ, Caesar Augustus reigned supreme over the Roman Empire (see Luke 2:1-7). The lives of Caesar and Jesus at this point in history could not have been more different. Caesar was at the height of his power; Jesus was in the depths of helplessness. Caesar slept in a golden bed on fine linen sheets; Jesus lay in an animal’s feeding trough wrapped in rags. Yet, even then, who was the one with the greater power? As a baby, Jesus was fully divine, “sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus willingly chose to descend from heaven and take on humanity so that He might die on a cross for our sin. He—who was infinitely richer than Caesar—became poor so that we, through His poverty, might become rich (see 2 Corinthians 8:9). In the days of His earthly ministry, Jesus had nowhere to sleep so that sinners like us might become heirs with Him of the entire universe. Therefore, do not be so easily impressed by people who now enjoy earthly power, fame, money, and beauty, and do not be consumed with longing for these things. Remember: The road to greatness is through humility—and trusting your Lord will bring the greatest reward. Prayer: Lord, help me to humble myself before You. By Your Spirit may I trust in Your promises and experience even today the majestic reward of a relationship with You, whatever my earthly circumstances. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.