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Read: John 4:6-10
Listen: John 4

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” John 4:10

Matthew’s genealogy of the Messiah features a surprising cast of characters, including a widow and foreigners. Including these unexpected people points to a core value of God revealed in the Old Testament and echoed in the New Testament: God cares for the vulnerable. Throughout the Old Testament, God commands his people to care for the vulnerable, particularly widows, orphans and foreigners. These commands reveal God’s heart for those who are less able to care for themselves.

God’s care for the vulnerable reflects his heart, revealed in the gospel. Our greatest need is to be rescued from our sins. As sinners who have rebelled against God, we are all in need of rescue—rescue that we cannot perform on our own. Yet, God came on a rescue mission in Jesus Christ to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Jesus entered a broken world and bore our sins on the cross. This Christmas season, we get to celebrate his coming and, ultimately, the work of salvation he accomplished.

TODAY: Caring for the vulnerable around you reflects God’s heart to the world. Ask God to open your eyes to someone who needs support this Christmas season. Take one specific step to help them—whether bringing a meal to someone grieving, including a lonely person in your holiday plans or supporting a single-parent family.

JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:

Read Nahum 1. Highlight anything that points to Jesus. Consider Jesus as both grace and truth (John 1:14).