He is for all mankind.

Imagine this, ladies. You go walking one day by yourself to pray or think about things. Suddenly, someone appears to you, but he seems rather...different. It isn't your usual person saying 'hi' as you walk past each other on the street. This man seems....different...holy or something. He tells you that you were chosen by God to have His only Son. You can't muster up any other words but... "Are you sure? No, this can't be. I haven't been with anyone. Plus, what will my family think? What about my friends? It's 2010. People talk. They'll think I'm promiscuous. I refuse. No no no." The guy continues to explain, "Don't worry. Everything will be fine... it's going to work out." Then leaves. Next thing you know, weeks later, your baby bump starts forming and people stare. Your friends turn their backs on you. They sit there asking who you even are anymore. Your family is disgusted and refuse to have any part in a relationship with you anymore. You're lonely. You have no one to talk to and you can't simply understand why God has chosen you to bear His child. You don't understand why you, out of all the other people in the world, He chose for such a divine purpose.

Oh yeah...none of this is a dream either. It's REAL LIFE. Can you seriously imagine that? It's what Mary had to go through as the angel of the Lord came and spoke to her. She nearly questioned it all... "How can this be? I have not been with any man." But did Mary refuse? Did she say she wouldn't do it? Of course not. Her exact words were: "Let it be done to me, according to Your word." Wow... can you imagine what that must have been like for a 15 year old girl, living in the time period she lived in? In those times, when a young girl was pregnant out of wedlock... the punishment was death. They were summonsed to get stoned. Man, take one look around you today and it's normal for women and young girls to get pregnant out of wedlock. It's simply horrible, and SINFUL.

Yet, Mary knew that God was bigger and greater than anything she had to face here on earth. Joseph also was upset with it all. He wasn't sure whether she had been unfaithful, and he even contemplated stoning his wife. Yet, in a dream, God spoke to him. When he woke up, he knew that it was exactly what God wanted for their life: to carry the Savior who would save all mankind.

Women, can you possibly imagine this? Can you fathom this? Mary was only 15. She was chosen to conceive a child EVEN THOUGH she had not been with a man. Her husband had to deal with it all. Her Son who she was to conceive (Jesus) was going to eventually die on the cross for all of mankind. I can't even wrap my head around it all. The Lord's plans for my life thus far have been adventurous, scary, exciting, and often times frightful. But..for me to carry a baby without being with a man, then to come and find out my baby was going to die for the sins of the world. Wow...it's something I simply cannot understand, or fathom. It's amazing.

As I watch "The Nativity" every Christmas, I just want to cry through the entire movie. What a sweet and precious woman Mary was, even in her young age. The most High and Holy God chose her out of all the women in the world, to carry His Son and to bring Him into the world. Mary and Joseph knew that their Son was for all mankind. They knew the divine purpose and plan God had laid on their lives from the get go. Mary willingly allowed her Heavenly Father to do whatever He wanted. What obedience, faithfulness and devotion she portrayed for Her King.

As I ponder that...I'm in awe. I know that the devotion and faithfulness Mary showed to her King is the same devotion and faithfulness I need to show to my Heavenly Father as well. Oh, how I yearn to be more like Mary.

Once Jesus was born, people from all over came to see this beautiful, miraculous Child. All Mary could say was, "He is for all mankind." It's simply mind boggling.

Jesus Christ... He was the One born into this world...God in the image of flesh... to die for ME, for you, for the sins of the whole world. It's something that is just too incredible to think upon.

Every Christmas, I remind myself to true reason for the holiday...and that's Jesus. As I have begun getting into the habit of watching "The Nativity" every Christmas...it really gives me a deeper and more meaningful thought on what the Christmas season is truly all about.

My heart lately has been so empty..but SO full of Jesus. It's all I've needed, and all I've wanted. My prayer constantly is that, I wouldn't be filled with love, peace, joy, friends, family, riches, material possessions, or anything else...but the ONLY thing I would be filled with would be Jesus.

He is truly all I want. He is all I need. Everything else in this world is simply...nothing on my list. Jesus is enough, and I am more than willing to say that out loud. I am madly in love with Him.

He chose to go to the cross...just as Mary chose to bare God's Son for me... Jesus went to the cross at Calvary and died in MY place. That should have been me up there. How can I not willingly and lovingly give Him my entire life? There is no greater joy, no greater reward, and no greater fulfillment than walking hand in hand with Jesus.

Nothing can be better.

So, as Christmas comes at us quickly, I pray that our hearts would be empty, but so full of just Jesus. He is the reason we celebrate, and He is all we need. Praying that our hearts would be Christ centered and 'others' centered, and that our fulfillment would be in Christ alone.