Today as I was pondering Christmas I had a whole new revelation of what it really means; The story from start to finish. We tend to think of Christmas being about Mary giving birth to the tiny baby Jesus and how the Wisemen followed the star and brought gifts. How the family had to flee from Herod and all of that. But that is only the start. Now, as a mom whose children have died and gone to Heaven, I see so much more clearly how real Christmas is and the heart of God in it.
Jesus was born with an eternal purpose. He would live about 33 years, have a huge ministry and yet suffer everything imaginable and unimaginable and finally be killed.
I wonder on this day how God must have felt… All the joy any parent feels when a child is born and so much more because He knew a way was being made for mankind… The ultimate gift to the world… A world that God loved dearly.
I can also feel what God must have felt as Jesus was in the garden praying that this wouldn’t happen yet also surrendering to His Father’s will. Oh the emotions God must have felt as Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, the soldiers coming at Jesus and taking Him away to be tried. Just think how we feel at the mere thought of someone making fun of our kids, beating up on them, spitting on them, mocking them, etc.
Through many tears as I was missing our girls this evening, I thought about our loving Father watching all of that happen to his Son who lived a perfect blameless life. At any moment, even when He was pierced and bleeding, hanging and dying on that rugged splintered cross with the nails in His hands and feet, God could have stopped it. But Instead He forsake His only Son. Oh the tears, the grief, the agony that God felt as He watched this happen and saw Jesus laid in the tomb.
Why would a loving God let this happen to his Son? Because God so loved the world and He knew Jesus’ shed blood and death was the ONLY way that we could be saved from everlasting damnation. The Bible says the wages of sin (and all of us have sinned) is death, but THE GIFT of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ!
Jesus rose again 3 days later and sealed the victory over sin, death, hell, and the grave. Hallelujah!
When someone gives us a gift it is up to us to accept or reject it. Jesus has given you and me the gift of salvation. I accepted this gift when I was 12 years old. Today He stands at the door of your heart and is knocking. He has a gift for you. Will you accept it? I hope so!
To accept means to ask Jesus to come into your life, to tell him you know you have done things that aren’t pleasing to Him, and to agree to turn away from those things. Ask Jesus to wash you, to be your Savior. And He will!
I hope you find this Christmas gift today and take hold if it and never let Him go! Jesus is the gift of Christmas!
Merry CHRISTmas!!
Living Life 
Thanks Dawn for a beautiful message today. I am still praying for you. Cindy Barnett, Waco TX
LikeLike
Thank you Cindy! Prayers much appreciated 🙂
LikeLike