And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

For God so loved the world, He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will have eternal life. John 3:16

Our Saviour is not distant, far off or out of touch with our reality. Our Saviour knows what it is to be human. To be tired and hungry. To feel the pressures and demands of people and the need to escape from it. To mourn the loss of a friend. To be betrayed, hurt and let down by those closest to him. He understands because He’s lived it.

Our Saviour chose to step down from heaven and onto Earth. To step out of eternity and into the restraints of time. To take on flesh and become like us. And all this He did because He loves us. There was no other way for us to have a relationship with God. Only His death could bring us life. And in order for Him to die on earth, He had to live on earth first. What a great sacrifice our Jesus paid, not only in His death, but also in His birth. In choosing to leave all the glory of heaven, the very presence of God and come as a weak, helpless, newborn baby to a sinful earth. For me and for you. So that we would no longer be enemies of God, but could be adopted as His precious daughters.

This is the story of Christmas. This is the ultimate Christmas present. Overflowing, self-sacrificing, never-ending, abundantly generous love.

Emma Whittall works in a pre-school in Stockholm, is a children’s worker, church planter, wife & mother. These devotionals were first published in Swedish as part of Andaktsboken för mammor år 2