Christmas

Scripture: John 3:16 (NRSV) - “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.”

Message: I’ll never forget when my first nephew, and then my other nieces and nephews, were born. They were so precious, so vulnerable. I didn’t think I could ever love another person as much as I loved them.

I remember one day asking my Mother, “Do you think that if I have my own children someday, I’ll love them as much as I love my nieces and nephews? I don’t know if it’s possible.” She replied, “Oh, just you wait – you will!"

Then, that day finally arrived. It was in the middle of COVID, and my first daughter was born in May of 2020. The moment they laid her on my chest, I knew instantly that my love for her was deeper than anything I had ever known before. So tiny and precious, how could such a wonderful gift have been given to me? A couple of years later, my second daughter was born. Amazingly, my love for her and her sister grew even deeper!

As I thought about it more, I realized that, as much as I loved my tiny baby girls from the moment I held them in my arms, God loves us even more! The same God who came in Jesus Christ as a tiny, vulnerable baby, loved me and my daughters (and their Dad) even more than I could ever imagine. And God loves you that much too!

As deep as my love for my daughters is, God’s love for us is greater still. That is the ultimate gift of Christmas.

May you celebrate, that in Christ we are so deeply loved and His Love has the power to completely change and transform the world when we recognize who we are in God. Merry Christmas to you all.

Prayer: Loving God, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who came into our world in love and humility that first Christmas. Help us to remember that Your love for us is deeper than we can ever comprehend. May Your love transform our hearts and overflow into the world. Amen.

Pastor Emily