When Jephthah came to his house at Mizpah, behold, his daughter was coming out to meet him with tambourines and with dancing. Now she was his one and only child; besides her he had no son or daughter.
Judges 11:34
The Christmas season is filled with beauty, music, and cherished traditions. For the Christian, however, the most profound and central theme that resonates through the celebration is love. At the heart of the Christmas story lies the ultimate act of love: God’s gift of his only begotten Son for the salvation of humanity (John 3:16). In sending Jesus, God was offering himself, as Christ declares, “I and the Father are one” (10:30). This unfathomable act of divine love is why Christians celebrate as it demonstrates the depth of God’s commitment to redeeming mankind.
The sacrificial nature of God’s love is highlighted in Isaiah 53:10: “But the Lord was pleased to crush” his Son. God willingly endured the pain of his Son’s suffering for our redemption. The selfless offering of Christ was a divine necessity to reconcile sinful humanity with a holy God.
A contrasting narrative can be found in the story of Jephthah in Judges 11. Jephthah, a judge of Israel, vowed that, if he were victorious in battle, he would offer as a burnt sacrifice the first thing that greeted him upon his return home. Tragically, it was his only daughter who met him and what should have been a moment of celebration became a time of unimaginable sorrow.
The differences between these two stories could not be starker. Jephthah’s vow led to regret, grief, and death but God willingly gave himself to bring life, joy, and salvation. Jephthah’s act was one of rashness and personal tragedy while God’s was one of grace and selflessness. Jephthah’s daughter paid the ultimate price for her father’s promise, while Christ died for our transgressions.
This Christmas season, let us choose to celebrate Yahweh, the covenant-making God, who gave himself in the person of Christ to redeem us from death and bring us into eternal life. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 beautifully states, “He made Him who knew no sin to besin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Through Christ, when God looks upon us, he no longer sees our sin but sees his Son—holy, righteous, and redeemed.
Lord Jesus, you are more worthy of celebration and honour than we can give but we offer now what we can. We worship this day for what you gave—your life—and for what you give—eternal life.
Simon Githae
* Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, ©The Lockman Foundation, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1995. Used by permission.
** The above was taken from Glory to God in the Highest: A Christmas Devotional (Oakville: Proclamation, 2024).
By job title, Alice is the office administrator at Oakridge. But her behind-the-scenes efforts go far beyond that! She is actively involved in the leadership team for the Tuesday evening women's bible study, she is on the mission committee, and she has recently both stepped into the leadership of church bridal and baby shower celebrations, and started teaching in our Ozone kids program. Oh, and if you see any special seasonal or holiday decorations around the church, it's a safe bet that Alice was involved!