Because of Jesus Christ, we will rise from the despair of death and embrace those we love, shedding tears of overwhelming joy and overflowing gratitude. Because of Jesus Christ, we will exist as eternal beings, worlds without end.
Because of Jesus the Christ, our sins can not only be erased; they can be forgotten.
We can become purified and exalted.
Holy.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "Behold the Man! ", General Conference, April 2018
Today, I've tried to focus my thoughts on family, loved ones, and, of course Christ Himself. I am eternally thankful for the fact that Jesus was born into this world so that He could give me the example of how to live, how to love, how to serve, and how to be selfless. And, more importantly, so He could make it so I could become perfect eventually and so I could live again eternally.
I am thankful that He sacrificed Himself and died for me. You know, in Tad Callister's book, The Infinite Atonement, we read that Christ came to earth to fulfill 3 purposes ; His message, His ministry, and His mission. Others could have fulfilled the first two purposes, or, He didn't have to be here on earth in person to do them. But, and this was the reason He was born into this world, only He could do the last purpose.... His mission. He condescended to earth, was born of a teenage mother, so He could complete His mission; to sacrifice for me and for you and then die for me and for you.
That is why Christmas is so important. That is why we celebrate on this day. Because if He didn't do what He did, the entire Plan of Salvation would have been meaningless. We all would've been assigned to a never ending torment. We would not have been made immortal. We would not have the opportunity to return to live with our Father. We would've been doomed to be angels to Satan forever and ever. We would have to remain with the father of lies eternally.
Not a good thought.
Imagine life without a Redeemer, without a Savior. We can't. It's beyond our ability to completely understand and even fathom.
Indeed, "for God so loved the world". And I am so thankful He did love us so that Jesus could fulfill His part of the Plan of Salvation. I could never repay what He did. I can only take advantage of what He did, for me.