The Child Born to Save

Welcome to Hope Mommies’ In the Word devotionals. Over the next several weeks, we will be studying Isaiah 9 together. In this passage, Isaiah gives us insight into the incredible hope that was given through the birth of Christ. Join us as we discover how the grieving mother can find comfort, especially in the holiday season, in the following descriptions of Christ.

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The Child Born to Save

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon His shoulder,
and His name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Isaiah 9:6

READ:

It was a day planned in eternity before time began—the coming of the child that would bring peace to God’s people. The hope of the nations made manifest in a helpless babe, and through Him, all things would one day be made new. In order for us to understand the significance that His coming holds for us in the midst of this heart-wrenching sorrow, we must start where it all began—in the garden.

It was there, in the garden, that Adam and Eve chose to rebel against the God who had lovingly created them. And it was there that the curse of sin and death forever changed the trajectory of the human experience. As we read in Genesis 3 of the specific consequence that befell Eve, we find that which has pierced our souls so deeply.

“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.”
Genesis 3:16

For us—mommas who have said goodbye to our babies on this side of eternity—that pain was not limited to the momentary, though excruciating, agony of labor and delivery. No, it has extended far beyond to empty arms and longing hearts—separation from the children we so deeply love.

Since that day so long ago, death has been the enemy of all who draw breath on this earth. Though we longed for healthy pregnancies that end with the birth of a healthy baby, for many of us, our dearly loved little ones passed from this earth before we ever laid eyes on them. Our enemy, death, laid its claim, leaving our hearts pierced with grief.

But this is not the end of the story.

It was with the conception of another woman’s baby that my hope was forever restored and my joy was made complete. This baby was Christ the Lord—the child sent to earth to defeat sin and death and deliver us from all affliction. Because of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection, I know that sorrow doesn’t get the final word. This baby, who lived a perfect life and died in my place, will one day return to take me home. Oh, glorious day!

Mommas, as we come into this holiday season, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. When you notice the empty chair at the table, hang a stocking that won’t be filled, or take a family photo that feels incomplete, remember the child born to save and cling to the hope that He brings.

REFLECT:

1. Read Romans 5:11, 2 Timothy 1:10, and Revelation 21:4. What do these verses teach us about this child born to save?
2. According to Genesis 3:15, what will Christ—the offspring of Eve—do to our enemy?

JOURNAL:

Read the account of the fall in Genesis 3, and then contrast these events with those found in Luke 2:1-21 and Revelation 21:1-5. How do these advents of Christ (His birth and second coming) offer hope to a world groaning under the curse of sin? Make a list of the ways Christ’s coming has and will bring hope and peace to you in the midst of your sorrow.

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Ashlee is the Editorial Coordinator for Hope Mommies and author of I AM (Hope Mommies, 2017) and Identity (Hope Mommies, 2018). She and her husband, Jesse, live in Milwaukee with their children—five on earth and two in heaven.

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