Christmas Devotional 2025: The Reason
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23 NLT).
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Eve, friends!
I can’t believe it’s here—the celebration of the birth of our Savior! It’s a holiday I look forward to every year. There’s a sense of renewal, hope, and joy. It’s a deep moment of our faith, the moment that Jesus arrived on this earth to save us for eternity.
Make Time for Jesus This Christmas
Amid the fun (and the crazy!) of today and tomorrow, I want to invite you into a quiet space. I know, I know . . . that may seem impossible! But I can’t encourage you enough to take an extra moment to sit with the Lord. In whatever way you can, find a quiet place and take a breath. Connect with Him in a way that feels significant and special for you. Maybe listen to worship music. Maybe meditate on Scripture. Maybe read through the Christmas story, letting the words soak in and allowing them to become real in your heart.
Jesus’ Sacrifice on Our Behalf
A little baby, laid in a manger, grew up to save us all. Jesus lived a full life here on earth. He could have dropped down, said, “You’re saved!” and been done with it. But He walked with us, taught us, and experienced all the ups and downs that life on earth has to offer.
He didn’t cut corners. He didn’t make it easy for Himself.
He felt grief. He felt fatigue. He felt stress. He felt unimaginable pain. And He didn’t do that for His benefit . . . He did that for us.
“But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Isaiah 53:5 NLT).
Remember the Reason for the Season
As we step into tomorrow and all the fellowship and beauty that Christmas has to offer, I encourage you to remember that little baby in Bethlehem and the Savior who walked this earth two thousand years ago is the One who gave everything for you. He was here. He was present. He was (and is) real—just as real as all of your loved ones, as your children and grandchildren sitting at your table.
So, invite Him in. Ask Him to stay a while. Give Him a seat at your table. I promise you, He’ll be delighted to accept.
God Is with Us
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us’” (Matthew 1:23 NLT).
God is with us. Not floating off to the side, not looking at us through a telescope on the other end of eternity. He is with us. The Savior who came to save us all . . . He’s with us.
So, sit with Him. Love Him. Let Him love you. Be present with Him. And remember the glorious story of mercy and grace and how He gave His life for yours . . . all because He loves you SO! MUCH!
He is the reason for the season.
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Cathe Laurie is the founder and director of the Virtue women’s ministry. She is also a featured speaker on The Virtue Podcast, at Harvest events, and the author of As I See It. You can find her weekly articles here on harvest.org.
