Advent is nearly done, it is merely days until we celebrate the birth of our Savior on Christmas. As we do so, we should be mindful of the gift that we find in Jesus and how we celebrate this gift in our lives.
In the manger we experience God's love fully poured out for the entire world to see and experience. It is love enacted. It is a full giving of self, a selfless giving, a gift given that simply cannot be repaid or even fully understood. It is a gift that forever changes the world.
Without doubt for me this gift is most completely described in Paul's writing to the Philippians 2:5-8.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. - NRSV
I love this passage of scripture because of the incredible depth of how it describes the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus so densely. As we read this and reflect specifically on the birth of Jesus and the gift of love, we see two key elements about how this love is enacted. First, it is done humbly. This means that Jesus literally gets down onto our playing field so that we can experience God's love in our own lives. I like to think of how I play with my children. My body and mind are capable of way more than building a Lego tower, yet it is in building a Lego tower with my children that they experience the love I have for them. It isn't by knowing what we do to feed them, to keep a roof over their heads, or to plan for their future. It is what we do with them in simple ways, on their level, physically, mentally and emotionally. So God comes into our world, at a specific time, in a specific way, at a specific place because that is how we experience God's love. We don't understand what happens "behind the scenes." We do understand that God humbled himself, was born in a feeding trough into a broken world. That's a love we experience.
God's love is sacrificial. It isn't just show, but it is truly giving something up to give something to us. God doesn't just "like" the cause of salvation, Jesus's life isn't just about giving out of abundance as a token gift to humanity. No, Jesus gives everything for us. So Jesus emptied himself and humbled himself in a love enacted through service and sacrifice.
So as we celebrate Christmas this year, are there small ways we can begin to give this same gift of love to those around us? How can you take time to meet someone where they are as an act of love? If someone is distant, how can you go to them? If someone is suffering, how can you suffer with them? Can we be bold enough to give a gift of love that even requires giving part of ourselves? Can we love through service and sacrifice?
In the manger we experience God's love fully poured out for the entire world to see and experience. It is love enacted. It is a full giving of self, a selfless giving, a gift given that simply cannot be repaid or even fully understood. It is a gift that forever changes the world.
Without doubt for me this gift is most completely described in Paul's writing to the Philippians 2:5-8.
Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross. - NRSV
I love this passage of scripture because of the incredible depth of how it describes the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus so densely. As we read this and reflect specifically on the birth of Jesus and the gift of love, we see two key elements about how this love is enacted. First, it is done humbly. This means that Jesus literally gets down onto our playing field so that we can experience God's love in our own lives. I like to think of how I play with my children. My body and mind are capable of way more than building a Lego tower, yet it is in building a Lego tower with my children that they experience the love I have for them. It isn't by knowing what we do to feed them, to keep a roof over their heads, or to plan for their future. It is what we do with them in simple ways, on their level, physically, mentally and emotionally. So God comes into our world, at a specific time, in a specific way, at a specific place because that is how we experience God's love. We don't understand what happens "behind the scenes." We do understand that God humbled himself, was born in a feeding trough into a broken world. That's a love we experience.
God's love is sacrificial. It isn't just show, but it is truly giving something up to give something to us. God doesn't just "like" the cause of salvation, Jesus's life isn't just about giving out of abundance as a token gift to humanity. No, Jesus gives everything for us. So Jesus emptied himself and humbled himself in a love enacted through service and sacrifice.
So as we celebrate Christmas this year, are there small ways we can begin to give this same gift of love to those around us? How can you take time to meet someone where they are as an act of love? If someone is distant, how can you go to them? If someone is suffering, how can you suffer with them? Can we be bold enough to give a gift of love that even requires giving part of ourselves? Can we love through service and sacrifice?
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