Christ - the Perfect Gift - Merry Christmas 2015
I am thankful for God's grace this past year. He has given me and my family so many joyful tastes of life's experiences that I can hardly wait to drink His "fullness of joy" awaiting on the other side of eternity. Thanks to each of you that played a note or two in our lives this year to make such a harmonious 2015.
Christ's life was but a brief span and yet it tells that God entered the time of history in a human body. Jesus' entrance to the human body is the incarnation - He came in flesh. God's taking human life signals that we too can enjoy humanity. Life is not evil or bad. Our cup is half full and will be filled to overflowing in eternity. And now He lives among us and helps us live day by day. He knows how to live humanity to the fullest. He is the morning Star that charts our course. We are not alone to wander darkness forever because Immanuel has come - "God with us." His charted course is for all that follow in His steps, His disciples, His pilgrims. He knows the way, took the bruises and the pains, overcame the temptations to live a perfect life. As a pilgrim we follow that path that He trod, headed to the city in which we hold our permanent citizenship.
But Jesus life is not just an example; not just a charted course. It is a gift to us. The gift is not just the baby at incarnation. The gift is not just the death providing justification. The gift of God incorporates the life of Jesus as ours as well. His perfection is mine. God places the perfect life of Jesus on my account. The penalty for my sin was paid at the cross, at Jesus' death. But the payment of a perfect life was earned, not by me, but by every moment Jesus said no to sin and yes to the will of His Father. That righteous standing is mine not from my effort but by His effort.
And so I am thankful more than ever this year for the incarnation. Because I look back on 360 days of imperfection. And by faith I look to Jesus' constant, Father-pleasing perfection. What a perfect gift!
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
A video representing some of the only times where there is quiet in our house of 7 =).
Christ's life was but a brief span and yet it tells that God entered the time of history in a human body. Jesus' entrance to the human body is the incarnation - He came in flesh. God's taking human life signals that we too can enjoy humanity. Life is not evil or bad. Our cup is half full and will be filled to overflowing in eternity. And now He lives among us and helps us live day by day. He knows how to live humanity to the fullest. He is the morning Star that charts our course. We are not alone to wander darkness forever because Immanuel has come - "God with us." His charted course is for all that follow in His steps, His disciples, His pilgrims. He knows the way, took the bruises and the pains, overcame the temptations to live a perfect life. As a pilgrim we follow that path that He trod, headed to the city in which we hold our permanent citizenship.
But Jesus life is not just an example; not just a charted course. It is a gift to us. The gift is not just the baby at incarnation. The gift is not just the death providing justification. The gift of God incorporates the life of Jesus as ours as well. His perfection is mine. God places the perfect life of Jesus on my account. The penalty for my sin was paid at the cross, at Jesus' death. But the payment of a perfect life was earned, not by me, but by every moment Jesus said no to sin and yes to the will of His Father. That righteous standing is mine not from my effort but by His effort.
And so I am thankful more than ever this year for the incarnation. Because I look back on 360 days of imperfection. And by faith I look to Jesus' constant, Father-pleasing perfection. What a perfect gift!
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Christ a babe and yet a King
Maker of all Who owns nothing.
Weak, He’s cradled to keep warm.
Almighty God in smallest form
passed from poor to poor at birth
gifting salvation to all the earth.
A video representing some of the only times where there is quiet in our house of 7 =).
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