Jesus Christ: The Gift that Broke All Fear

I love the Christmas season. There is something about the traditions, the twinkling lights, the tree, and the nativity that always make it a special time of year. Although there has become an increased commercialization of the Christmas season there remains in many hearts an increase in love, giving, service and time spent with family which most often is the source of the greatest joys and memories of the Christmas season. Presents break and become used up but the memories and spirit of Christmas live on. Most of all the Gift of Jesus Christ, given by the Father, stands supreme as the ultimate gift. As it says, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16)." 

When the angelic hosts announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds they began by saying: "Fear Not". Those words were most importantly an introduction to those shepherds and to the whole world that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was coming to save His people and to console every fear. His life was one of love. The blind saw, the sinner freed, the deaf heard, the dead lived. Yet He ultimately was taken by His people, beaten and bruised, rejected, forsaken and slain on the cross. Yet we find this the greatest gift, in His greatest suffering. He bore our griefs, and carried our sorrows, "the chastisement of our peace was upon Him and with His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:3-5)." The Book of Mormon teaches this principle in this way "He shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; He will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people that His bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that He may know according to the flesh how to succor His people according to their infirmities (Alma 7:11-12)." This means He perfectly understands every wound and pain, every tear and disappointment and every fear that we experience. There is no problem that He cannot relate to and no hurt he cannot heal, no slate he cannot make clean because He suffered all long before we did. As such He can succor or run to us in our time of need and be perfectly empathetic to every plight to every person who has ever lived.

Truly as we understand and accept Jesus Christ as our champion over all "Pain, affliction and temptations" that can potentially cripple our happiness there is no room for fear. As Paul said "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. O death (add fear, pain, disappointments here), where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory (1 Cor. 15: 55, 57)?" The more we who "labor and are heavy laden", Come unto Him, learn of Him and take the yoke of His gospel upon us, the more completely we shall find rest to our souls (Matthew 11:28-30)." He did not come to protect us from every hurt, but He offers us His peace if we will come to Him so that these pains are not suffered in vain. Consequently allowing our greatest challenges to change us and help us to become better people, more empathetic, more loving, more forgiving, more like Him. 

I am grateful that the Father loved us even that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ. I am grateful that He conquered all reason for fear and for this season in which we celebrate this magnificent gift.