“Dad, I don’t want to see you walking around the house like a zombie anymore.”

My son spoke these literally sobering words to me decades ago, and they were the words I needed to hear to get me into an alcoholism treatment facility. Since then, the Lord has been faithful to “restore my soul,” guiding me in the right and better paths.

My drinking behaviors had me living like a sheep without a shepherd and wandering through a personal wilderness. But like the shepherd pursuing his sheep, God chased after me and gave me repeated “second chances.”

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). These are triumphant announcement words to us at Christmas time. But they also are the words of victory for people like you and me who struggle with sin. A Savior has come to restore our souls and bring us back into His fold. When our Shepherd hung on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins, He had you and me in mind, praying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).