Ancient Words For Today - 79
Christmas is a wonderful time of year when we come together with family and friends, exchange gifts lovingly picked out, break bread, and savor the warmth that comes from loving one another. But do you also make a practice of going to the streets to find the homeless and calling people who irritate you or have done you wrong, and inviting them to your home to celebrate Christmas with you? Or do you take time to visit people who don't know you, that are sick, blind, lame, shut-in, or in jail and share your love and the love of God with them? I would say that most of us have fallen short in doing such things consistently, if at all.
However, there is one person in history, Jesus Christ, who left His home in heaven and came to earth to declare and show the love of God to a rebellious people, lost and alienated from God by sin. He turned no one away that came to Him. In fact, Jesus actively sought out those who were sick, publicans, harlots, sinners, the homeless, beggars, thieves, people possessed by demons, and even those who ridiculed Him and sought to take His life. He did always those things that pleased His heavenly Father. He loved us with unfailing love. He came to seek and to save those who were lost, redeeming us through His own death on the cross.
Jesus said "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." John 15:12 Paul affirms God's love for us in this powerful verse that says it all: "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:6-8
Jesus loves us with an unselfish and unfailing love, doing always those things that are for our benefit. One way we can show our appreciation to God, for His love to us, is to reach out and love others the way He loves us. If you are a Christian, it is because someone shared the gospel of God's love with you. You too can share the love of God with someone, bringing the light of God's gospel and the hope of eternal life into their heart! What better time than Christmas season when the focus is on the Light of the World, our savior, Jesus Christ.
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4:3-6
May God's love shine forth from your heart, in your words and actions, to bless others - as He has blessed you.