Rick Warren Daily Hope Devotional For December 26, 2022 : Topic – Jesus Wants You for Christmas
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“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”
Revelation 3:20 (NASB)
What are you giving Jesus for Christmas?
It’s his birthday, after all. You buy gifts for all the other important people in your life. Can you imagine having a birthday party and buying gifts for everybody except the birthday boy?
Well, you ask, what could you possibly give God, who has everything? There is only one thing he wants this Christmas: you.
God doesn’t have your life unless you give it to him. He doesn’t have your trust unless you give it to him. He doesn’t have your love, submission, honor, and obedience unless you give them to him. He gives you choices—because he wants you to choose him.
You might as well stop celebrating Christmas if you’re not going to give Jesus the only gift that he wants from you. God wants you to trust him and love him.
Did you know that there has never been a time when God did not love you? Even before you were born, God loved you. Imagine him saying to you now: “You matter to me. I love you. I’ve cared about every moment of your life. I made you, and I want a relationship with you. And that’s why I came to Earth—to one day redeem everything, including you, so you could be part of my family.”
The Bible says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20 NASB).You can begin a friendship with God today. I’m not talking about religion; I’m talking about a relationship with God.
You were not made for a religion; Jesus didn’t die for a religion. Jesus died because he loves you. He wants you in heaven with him. He came to be your Savior.
Luke 2:11 says, “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord” (NIV). If you didn’t need a Savior, Christmas wouldn’t have happened!
This Christmas, you can either accept Jesus or reject him. You trust him, or you turn away from him. You behold him, or you betray him.
Give Jesus your life this Christmas. It’s the only gift he wants!