Daily Devotional For Thursday, December 26, 2025
The word for Christmas we are looking at today is the word SAVIOR. When the angel came to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth, the angel made this announcement in Luke 2:11, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (ESV). What did Savior mean to God’s people in that day? Their concept of salvation was different from what most Christians think today. It was actually much, much bigger; and it seems to me that we have lost some of the richness and hope in the way we talk about salvation today.
If you ask most believers what it means to say Jesus is my Savior, they will say that Jesus saved them from their sins, saved them from God’s judgment, and saved them from hell. All of that is true. In fact, in Matthew 1:21 the angel told Joseph, “Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins” (NIV). And Romans 5:9 says, “Since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God’s condemnation” (NLT).
So we are saved from our sins and we are saved from God’s judgment. And if that is all it means to be saved, that certainly is more than we could ever deserve. We will never be able to thank Him enough. Your salvation—your forgiveness and certainty of eternity in heaven—is secure in Christ your Savior. And of course that is the most important aspect of salvation. But there is even more blessing wrapped up in our salvation. And for that, we have to look to the Old Testament.
Salvation in the Old Testament means: “to relieve you from something that was constricting or confining you; to give you room to breathe; to turn scarcity into sufficiency; to bring freedom from distress.” Are you in a tight spot, stressed out and anxious, feeling like your very breath is being squeezed out of you? God says, “Unto you a Savior is born—He is Christ the Lord.” He will relieve the pressure and give you room to breathe. He will make a way where there is no way.
Are you coming up short in the face of an overwhelming challenge? Are you afraid you just don’t have what it takes? God says, “Unto you a Savior is born—He is Christ the Lord.” He will be your sufficiency. He will provide for you. Does it seem like you just can’t catch a break and you’re ready to give up hope? God says, “Unto you a Savior is born—he is Christ the Lord.” He will bring freedom from your distress, hope for your despair, and light into your darkness.
Jesus will save you in ways that could only be done through his divine power and intervention, because you know that your own resources are not enough to meet the task. He will be a rich store of salvation, an abundant source of supply, accomplishing “exceedingly, abundantly above all that you could ask or imagine.” You won’t just get through by the skin of your teeth; there will be an unmistakable, over-obvious abundance of His grace and power in your life. How does that sound to you? Could you use that kind of salvation right about now? Unto you a Savior is born—He is Christ the Lord. Call on His name. The Bible says this in Hebrews 7:25, “He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them” (NIV).
Questions To Consider
- Christmas can be one of the most stressful times of the year in our lives. We often pass ourselves coming and going just to cram everything in we think we should. For many, joy is not what they experience this time of year. This is why they become jaded. What stresses you out during this season and how do you normally respond and cope with that stress?
- The angel said to the shepherds: “Unto you a Savior is born—He is Christ the Lord.” Why do you think many people never experience the birth of their Savior?
- If you have children and/or grandchildren with you, take a moment and explain to them on their level what Savior means. After you have done that, then ask them what does that mean to them and why?>
- Even in the midst of the stress of this season, when do you experience the hope, the peace, the joy and the love that this Savior gives during this season?
Scripture To Meditate On: Matthew 1:21, “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Lord Jesus, I call on You today as my Savior in every sense of the word. I look to You to save me from my sins and to save me from judgment. And Lord, I also look to You to save me when I’m facing overwhelming odds, when my back’s against a wall, and I’m stressed beyond my capacity to endure. I believe, as the Bible says, that “Only You have the power to save! Your name is the only name in all the world that can save anyone.” Thank You for Your great gift of salvation, Lord Jesus, my Savior. Amen.”
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly