The Ultimate Gift

"He began His ministry by being hungry, yet He is the Bread of Life.  Jesus ended His earthly ministry by being thirsty, yet He is the Living Water.  Jesus was weary, yet He is our rest.  Jesus paid tribute, yet He is the King.  Jesus was accused of having a demon, yet  He cast out demons.  Jesus wept, yet He wipes away our tears.  Jesus was sold for thirty pieces of silver, yet He redeemed the world.  Jesus was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd.  Jesus died, yet by His death, He destroyed the power of death."

Gregory of  Nazianzus

     The Christian faith is unlike any other religion in the world. For every other religion, it is as if their god(s) stands at the top of  Mount Everest and men work judiciously to reach and appease a distant and cold being. In Christianity, however, God comes down from the mountain to where the people are. He then endures rejection and humiliation for the sole purpose of relentlessly, passionately, and unapologetically pursuing them.

   When I consider the greatness of God, I am completely in awe. It is impossible to fully fathom His majesty and splendor, even when we have a vivid imagination. David describes God's greatness as follows: "Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; You are exalted as head over all.  Wealth and honor come from You; You are ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give You thanks and praise Your glorious Name. "

(1 Chronicles 10-13).

     Despite His power and greatness, God designs a sacrificial redemptive plan that emanates from before He even created man. Our provision was secured before we were even conceived! Why in the world would God abandon His majestic reign to relentlessly chase after sinful men?

     God continually gives us the ultimate gift, His One and Only Son, because of His perfect love for you and me. The Creator of all desires fellowship with the created and is willing to sacrifice all to accomplish what He has purposed in His heart. Kenneth Gangle describes this phenomenon as follows, "In the miracle of creation, God made man.  In the miracle of the Incarnation, He gave man the God-man."

     Jesus' incarnation is an enigma to many. He came as both one hundred percent man and one hundred percent God. He stands eternally as the sole living being that existed on this planet while being comprised of both humanity and deity. Never again will this occur. Colossians 2:9 explains it this way, "For, in Him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily."

     Before Jesus arrived upon this earth, God made a promise to Mary. Faith caused Mary to believe God's promises and submission to God's will caused God to radically change Mary's life. These were not minor tweaks in the course of Mary's future. And yet, she still believed.  Elizabeth told Mary, "Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her." (Luke 1:45)

     Long before God's promise to Mary came the prophecy that Jesus' life would be both anointed and eternal. Psalm 45: 6-7 tells us, " Your throne, O God, will last forever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter of Your kingdom. You love righteousness and hate wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has set You above your companions by anointing You with the oil of joy."

     Being filled with faith, Mary overflowed with gratitude even before Jesus was born. Her thoughts raced as to why God would include her in His divine plan. Here is her beautiful song of praise:

"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me- holy is His Name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors." (Luke 1:46-55)

     It was hope inside Mary's heart that anticipated the fulfillment of God's promises. And, with patience, she quietly waited. I am quite sure she had more questions than answers, and yet, she chose to trust.

     The fulfillment of all prophecies and promises regarding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus did occur. The first chapter of Hebrews explains, "'In the beginning, Lord, You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe.  Like a garment, they will be changed.  But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.'"  ( Hebrews 1:10-12).

     The sacrificial love of our God continues to pursue us today. If we really believe the promises and prophecies given to us in God's Word, then what should our response be?  How do we respond to a love as great as this?

     If true love for God burns within our souls, we will genuinely love, forgive, believe and hope in demonstrative ways. We will be more concerned for the welfare of others than we are for ourselves. Gilbert Keith Chesterton says this, "To love means loving the unlovable.  To forgive means pardoning the unpardonable.  Faith means believing the unbelievable.  Hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless."


     

     Jesus loves us wildly, intimately, and with reckless abandon. He gave us two hundred percent and then poured out His Holy Spirit so that we would burn with passion for His Names' sake. We are here to glorify Him and make His glory known. What adjustments do we need to make in our lives so that His glory can be immeasurably poured out upon this earth?

     We do not have to work and strive to gain God's approval.  That is a gift already given to us. The only requirement for true transformation in our lives is to fall madly in love with the One who is madly in love with us. Loving God without restraints will completely change the trajectory of our lives.

   

HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS!!!!