But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Galatians 4:4-5

That is the love of our good Father. The baby in a manger, the cry in the darkness—it embodied love in its fullness with equal parts vulnerability and strength. He sent Jesus to make a way for us to become adopted into His family for all of eternity. The Christmas season is a time we usually spend with family, and sometimes it brings a painful awareness of broken family relations and situations. Maybe you’ve experienced loss and are grieving and feeling empty. Maybe you have strained relationships that are tender and sore. Maybe distance has kept you feeling isolated and alone. The good news for you today is that Jesus came to make a way for you to be welcomed into the family of God. Take comfort in the love brought to earth in that little manger in Bethlehem. You have a place in the family with Him.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for making a place for me in your family. I recognize that it is not something I could have earned, but it is an invitation that is given to me freely. You see any strained relationships and any hurt that I have experienced with friends and family. Right now I receive your healing. I believe that You are a God of restoration, and I release Your life over my relationships. Help me forgive just as I have been forgiven. Amen.