December Devotions and Doodles – Day 3 (December 3)
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:7-12
7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth.
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
and like a sheep silent before her shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 He was taken away because of oppression and judgment;
and who considered his fate?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
he was struck because of my people’s rebellion.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
but he was with a rich man at his death,
because he had done no violence
and had not spoken deceitfully.
10 Yet the Lord was pleased to crush him severely.
When you make him a guilt offering,
he will see his seed, he will prolong his days,
and by his hand, the Lord’s pleasure will be accomplished.
11 After his anguish,
he will see light and be satisfied.
By his knowledge,
my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will carry their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him the many as a portion,
and he will receive the mighty as spoil,
because he willingly submitted to death,
and was counted among the rebels;
yet he bore the sin of many
and interceded for the rebels.
December 3 Devotional: The Greatest Gift
I love the gifts at Christmas time! When I was growing up, the best part about Christmas was getting to find out on Christmas morning what my dad had gotten my mom as a gift.
King of Surprises
You see, my father would not tell anyone what he had planned for our mom’s gift. We tried and tried to find out, and NEVER could. AND…it was always the best present of Christmas morning – even though we were always completely shocked and amazed and delighted with our own gifts.
What is Christmas about?
The true meaning of Christmas is not the presents we unwrap on the morning of December the 25th. It is the gift that God sent two thousand years ago. He was the ultimate Father. The ultimate Gift-giver.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 (CSB)
Jesus
When Jesus was born in a stable for animals to a simple carpenter, it was an incredible gift. The Son of God humbled Himself to become a man for us. Son of God and Son of Man. God with us. Emmanuel.
Not the end of the story
However, that was not the greatest gift. The greatest gift is described in this prophecy from Isaiah 53. Jesus laid His very life down, enduring suffering and rejection, as a gift for me…and you. The Perfect One became sin for us so we would not have to pay the price for our imperfection.
What a gift! The best Christmas present ever!
December 3 – Action Step:
Have you accepted the gift of salvation through Jesus today (December 3)?
If you haven’t, here’s how…
- Tell God that you believe that Jesus is His Son.
- Let Him know that you know that Jesus died for your sins and rose from the dead.
- Accept the gift of salvation and seek to do God’s will instead of just your own.
If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 One believes with the heart, resulting in righteousness, and one confesses with the mouth, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:9-10 (CSB)
Prayer:
Dear God, thank you for this incredible gift of salvation! I know that I am not perfect – I sin when I don’t want to. Thank you that You sent Your Son to die in my place. Be Lord of my life and help me to follow You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Drawing Tutorial – December 3: How to Draw a Christmas Gift
- Draw some fun shapes. You don’t even have to be able to draw straight lines for these gift drawings.
- Add small double lines for ribbon.
- Embellish with ovals and ribbons for a bow.
- Add lines, squiggles, or polka dots for a whimsical take on Christmas gifts.
Click here to check out other posts in this series: December Devotions and Doodles!