The Word became flesh and made his home among us. We have seen his glory, glory like that of a father’s only son full of grace and truth. ~John 1:14 (CEB)
If I could give only one message to the world what would it be? If I had only a few seconds of fame, what would I want the world to know?
The message that I could shout from the top of Mount Lecont, is that God did not come down to earth in Jesus Christ to make life just a tiny bit better but to make things exceedingly remarkably better. God came down to earth not just so I could tolerate living here on earth but to transport my life right now into a life of real living. Jesus came not just to prepare the way for the next world but so that I might live life more freely now. Jesus came to show us how to live in a way that was a costly reconciling love, relentless hope and reverberating joy. God came down to earth so that we could live like Him. He came to save us from violence by showing us the way to peace. He came to save us from greed by showing us the way of compassion. He came to save us from our addiction of living for self by showing us the way of self-giving love. God came down to earth through Jesus Christ to save us from sin by showing us the way to forgiveness; to save us from death by showing us the way to live; to save us from sorrow by showing us how to be joyful.
The good news of the gospel is not that Jesus came to show us the way to climb up to God, but that God came down to us, descending into the real stuff of our everyday ordinary lives- God with us in Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas!
Thank You Heavenly Father for the example You sent to me through Your Son Jesus Christ. I thank You for the examples of self-giving love, forgiveness and joy that he brings to my life. I thank You for his example of a peace that goes beyond my present understanding. I thank You O Lord, that I know the end of the Story and that You use all things for Your ultimate glory. Amen.
Pieces of the Puzzle 