david j. garcia

(Listen: http://davidjgarcia.com/blog/audio/Have_a_joyous_Christmas.mp3)

More than two-thousand years ago, a baby was born in humble circumstances. He grew up–first as a child, then as a young man. As an adult, he taught and blessed those around him. Real men, women and children, like you and me, saw him. They talked with him and received miracles at his kind hand. The long-prophesied Messiah really had come.

Although he was perfect, and even though he taught the way to happiness, many rejected him. He was “despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief,” because he willingly chose to suffer so that he could console and care for us in our hardest times. He suffered the pains and sicknesses of each of us. Any pain, grief, sorrow, sadness, loneliness, fear or regret that you feel, he has also felt in every extreme. He truly understands.

In a way that you or I cannot fully understand, he paid the price for sin. He then allowed himself to die on the cross. Although he died, as the Son of God he had power over death. On the third day, he rose again. He lives even today. Because he lives, death is not permanent for any of us. I know that Jesus Christ, the Messiah, is my Savior and that he lives!

This is what I celebrate on Christmas.

May you and yours have a joyous holiday season and feel the love of the Savior. “Glory to God in the highest. And on earth peace, good will toward men.”