(Christmas is just the beginning of a journey. The story doesn't end at the stable. Now that we have the Christ Child, we must gather him into our hearts and continue the journey to follow him wherever he goes. I will pick back up with the meditations I was doing before Advent, based on the scriptures from the book "Follow Me" by David Rosage. December was the month to study "the call to love".)
John 3:16-17 “Yes, God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
Heavenly Father,
Thank you, LORD, for your great love! Thank you that no matter how bad a sinner I am, you still loved me enough to send your Son to save me. I’m not proud of my sins and I hate it that Jesus suffered for them. But I’m so happy that you loved me that much! John 3:16 may be the most well known verse in scripture, but why isn’t verse 17 just as widely quoted? “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” This is the Good News! Jesus came to save us, not condemn us. We have enough ministers and religious leaders trying to “condemn” us on a regular basis! But Jesus came in love and as love from our Father to set us free from condemnation. Free to be loved and accepted. Free to devote our lives to you, our Father. Free to fix our relationship with you. Free to come home to your loving arms.
Why, of why do people want to keep preaching damnation instead of your love? Why do they want to beat us to death with our sin instead of allowing us to forget it, just as you have forgotten it, once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior? I hear so much about “cheap grace” and never really understand it. I understand the concept, but think the idea is over-worked. Grace is “cheap” because we don’t pay for it. Grace is your gift of love and I refuse to allow anyone to take it away from me or “cheapen” it by calling it “cheap grace!” It’s my gift from my Father given to me in love.
I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that he redeemed me through his blood on the cross. My tears are tears of sorrow and joy combined in response to this love! I don’t ever want to be separated from you again! Not by the world, not by sin, not by those who want to steal my joy, not by those who want to steal my grace! “Yes, God so loved the world….!” Thank you! Amen.
Heavenly Father,
Thank you, LORD, for your great love! Thank you that no matter how bad a sinner I am, you still loved me enough to send your Son to save me. I’m not proud of my sins and I hate it that Jesus suffered for them. But I’m so happy that you loved me that much! John 3:16 may be the most well known verse in scripture, but why isn’t verse 17 just as widely quoted? “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” This is the Good News! Jesus came to save us, not condemn us. We have enough ministers and religious leaders trying to “condemn” us on a regular basis! But Jesus came in love and as love from our Father to set us free from condemnation. Free to be loved and accepted. Free to devote our lives to you, our Father. Free to fix our relationship with you. Free to come home to your loving arms.
Why, of why do people want to keep preaching damnation instead of your love? Why do they want to beat us to death with our sin instead of allowing us to forget it, just as you have forgotten it, once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior? I hear so much about “cheap grace” and never really understand it. I understand the concept, but think the idea is over-worked. Grace is “cheap” because we don’t pay for it. Grace is your gift of love and I refuse to allow anyone to take it away from me or “cheapen” it by calling it “cheap grace!” It’s my gift from my Father given to me in love.
I believe that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that he redeemed me through his blood on the cross. My tears are tears of sorrow and joy combined in response to this love! I don’t ever want to be separated from you again! Not by the world, not by sin, not by those who want to steal my joy, not by those who want to steal my grace! “Yes, God so loved the world….!” Thank you! Amen.
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