Advent December 3rd
Today I went to church and heard a wonderful message about how we see the gospel message in Genesis Chapter 3. God’s grace and redemption are on full display in His first response to sin.
Then this afternoon I went to a local church youth group production of It’s a Wonderful Life. You can search the world over, but I assure you there is no teenager on earth that is a better George Bailey than the one I witnessed today. Actually this young man’s entire family was part of the production. His mom was the director, his older sister the assistant director, his two little sisters fellow actors and his dad the special effects guru. I was emotional and almost envious watching how this sweet family used their gifts for God’s glory. It made me wonder about how my own family might impact this world for Christ. We love being together. I am so proud of my sons for all the ways they use the gifts they’ve been given, but can the five of us somehow engage the culture with the love of Christ? I will be praying about and thinking about this in the days ahead.
As for the two devotionals1 I read today we can always choose to trust God’s plan, even when we do not understand it, and we have zero chance of standing before the Lord in the day of judgment on our own merit. Christ is our only hope. He is our Salvation. The purifying fire would be our undoing without our garment of righteousness provided by Jesus himself.
May we rejoice in knowing that the Babe born in the manger is our covering for all of our guilt and shame!
It may not be the first Christmas song that springs to mind but it is such a comfort that Jesus Paid It All!
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16.
Digging Deeper:
How are you and your family actively engaging the culture?
Where do you see the gospel message in the Old Testament?
Can we fully celebrate Christmas without acknowledging that Jesus Paid it All?
My own, Making Room, and the C.S. Lewis Institute devotional