Born to die. That was the assignment given to Jesus. His life was already mapped out for Him before the foundations of this world were formed. He knew that the sin of mankind would be placed on His shoulders. He knew He would be beaten and bruised for our transgressions and the chastisement of our peace would be placed upon Him. His destiny was to lay down His life for a people of whom, many would reject Him.

Jesus was motivated by the joy of seeing us reconnected to God. His purpose was evident in His words as well as His actions. Even though He struggled in the Garden of Gethsemane, He chose to keep going in spite of the pain that was on the horizon. His unselfish act kept Him focused on the end result. We can take lessons from the life of Jesus.

Just as Jesus was born with a purpose, so were you and I. God set eternity in our hearts from the moment we got here. He knew we would need something to keep driving us forward. When we take our eyes off what we think and feel and instead focus on those God has called us to reach, it should motivate us to keep moving forward as well.

It is my prayer that the life of Jesus will bring comfort and hope to you as you continue toward your God-given purpose. If you are struggling with what that purpose is today, take a moment and ask God to reveal to you His plan for your life.

Lord we want to take this time to thank you for the birth of your son Jesus. Thank you for allowing Him to walk upon the earth and be the example for us. May His attitude towards pleasing you and serving the purpose for which He came become our very own. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Go Deeper ― As a new year approaches, take a few moments to ponder how much this past year you focused on yourself and how much on serving God and others. How can the life of Jesus influence your decisions and actions going forward?

Read MoreHow Did the Life of Jesus Impact the World?



Tags: Nativity Hebrews 12
Photo Credit: Sweta Meininger