Day 7: A Savior
Matthew 1:21 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
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A savior. A hero. Someone coming to save the day. It’s a story we can’t get enough of: Innocents are in peril and then a savior comes to the rescue! A movie has been made for every version of that simple tale.And here we are. A season of anticipation....waiting for our savior to take the stage.
The expecting Mary lived in a time where everyone was looking for a Savior.
The Jewish people wanted a savior that would lead them in battle to restore their once proud nation. The religious elite wanted a savior that would restore the supremacy of their religious governance. The poor wanted a savior that would overthrow their rich oppressors.
But the Messiah that Mary is carrying is not coming to fight any of these enemies. He is coming to save His people from … their sins.Sin is a small word. It seems like a small problem. Like a revolting ring of scum around the edge of the tub. It’s admittedly disgusting, and I don’t like to deal with it, but, hey, it’s not that big a deal. A little cleaner and scrubbing and everything is fixed up. But that’s a lie. My sin is not small and it is not easily wiped away. It’s not dirty bathtub. No, my sin is as big as the ocean. It is a fatal infection. It still whispers like that serpent in the garden to the first man and woman.
Before that forbidden fruit, sin is tempting me to serve myself.
To be my own god. A selfish god that is always taking and eating. Seeing and wanting. Knowing and judging. And never, never full. It is the opposite of Christmas, and not what you wanted to read about in a happy Christmas devotional.
God in His mercy takes it upon Himself to send a Savior to save me from my wayward desires. He sent a Savior in a most unexpected way: He will come as God and yet He will not live as God. He will shed every advantage of Heaven and be humbled to the form of a man.
He will offer all of us a new way to be human by being human Himself.
This Savior is coming to lead a war against selfishness. Despite being the son of God, He will reject self-importance. There will be no rallies to tout His accomplishments or to stir up His fellow Jews to make Israel great again. But rather He will wash feet; give the shirt off his back; walk the extra mile. He will serve, not be served. And when all He has left is His life, He will give that away too. The supreme sacrifice of a hero. A Savior that saves us from ourselves.
This is the true meaning of Christmas....that we might lay aside our "Christmas" to lay down our life to wash feet.....to give the shirt off our back.....to walk the extra mile....to serve and not be served.
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Copyright All images & writing © 2018 Charis Seed Photography