In Jesus, God promises comfort in the midst our imperfect and painful world (Matthew 2:13-18). The real Christmas story in scripture is anything but perfect and dreamy. After Jesus was born, He fled to Egypt while all the boys two years and younger in Bethlehem were killed by order of King Herod. It was a fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy found in Jeremiah 31:15 (Matthew 2:17-18). But this prophecy also is a promise of hope and comfort. In the midst of our difficulties, Jesus understands physical pain, grief and loss, family issues, sin issues, and financial needs. He struggled with God’s will (Luke 22:42), and even felt abandoned by Him (Mark 15:34). Christmas shows us that Jesus understands because He lived it. And because He lived it, He is our source of hope and comfort.