God's Christmas Gift of Love

Christmas does not begin with what we think of God, but what he thinks of us. As God writes in his Book:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

Before God gave his Son to the world, he already “so loved the world”. Now, while our childish view of life may give us the impression that we know better than God what he felt, or what he did, God’s message to us from the center (and outside) of the universe is that he gave us his Son as a specific expression of his love for people the world over.

Since part of this gift to the world was what Jesus did a few decades later, another way of describing God’s love is stated like this:

“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Do you see this message: God loved, and so he did what was necessary to save his beloved.

Have any of us experienced things in life that have made us question God’s love? I direct you to God’s hope-filled message to us all, that him giving us his Son in the glorious mystery of the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us (John 1:14), and him giving us his Son to die for our sins, demonstrate his love so undeniably that we cannot continue accusing him of not loving his children.

If you have believed that traumatic experiences and painful losses are good reason to run away from God because he could not possibly love you, take another listen to what he says in his own words. He is the best and safest person to run to with all the pain and heartache we have experienced because of our own sins, and the sins of others around us. He promises to heal the brokenhearted and bind up their wounds (Psalm 147:3); all we need to do is come to Jesus.

Please do not think of Jesus as some legend, or imposter. He has expressed God’s love to the world in both his life and his death. And, his resurrection gives you the hope of living in his victorious life forever. Christmas day is a good time to run to Jesus and know him as fully and as wonderfully as is possible this side of heaven.

I pray a blessed Christmas, and love-relationship with the Christ, to you all.

© 2016 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.)