The Depth of God’s Love

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

All of us are in a hurry this holiday season.   In the busyness, we sometimes forget the depth of God’s love for us in the gift of his son.  As we near the final days of the holiday season, it is my prayer that we can lean in and hear God’s voice as he reminds us again of how far he will go to bring us back to him.

You and I are part of an unfolding story that God has been shaping since creation. He has been deliberate with every action and deliberate with every character.  I like to look at the Biblical text as a 4 Act play with 4 main parts.  Act 1 Creation. Act 2 Exile/Mission.  Act 3 (the climax)  Redemption. Act 4 Restoration.  The Christmas story itself is part of Act 3, Redemption. Our redeemer is born in Bethlehem.  Act 3  is the turning point of not only history but the cross roads of our lives as well.  Once we encounter Jesus at the cross, we are never the same. However, if we are honest many of us  in our daily living don’t contemplate this love often enough.  Most days I rush from moment to moment and don’t pause to reflect on this truth and let it lay claim to my thoughts and actions.    To counterbalance this tendency,  I have to actually stop, and speak God’s truth  over and over before it sinks in.  Or if I am reading scripture, I have to read over the passage several times to see the truth there, and then I even read it aloud to claim the power and authority it has in and through my life.

Christmas is the perfect time to refocus on this gift of God.  Our salvation in Christ Jesus is just that a gift… but what a price tag it carried. Christ’s sacrificial love blows my mind. What he endured to breathe “It is finished” on the cross started in the throne room of the Father as Christ said he would come. Here is what scripture says about this perfect gift, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23. For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:17. True  Life in the present and Ture Life for the future was purchased for us on calvary, and I hope this holiday season you can open anew this precious gift and breathe in the love the Father has for you.

Be Blessed,

Jessica Cox