The Most Remarkable Gift
December 2, 2019
“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
If you only memorize one verse of Scripture, most likely it will be John 3:16. It’s the verse that shows up on large placards at football games and is recited by voices of all ages. It’s the hook on which all the rest of God’s Word hangs. It is the gospel in a sentence.
We have heard it again and again, but it is forever true. God sent us the most valuable, the costliest gift ever in Jesus. The motivating factor behind God’s redemptive plan for every man and woman is His love for us. He not only loves us; He so loves us! This deep emotion is the motivating cause of your salvation and mine. “For God so loved . . .”
The unbelievable fact of this generosity is that it was given to everyone, the entire undeserving world. Not one of us has ever done anything to deserve it. Without a single move toward Him, initiating interest or need, God gave this incredible gift. When we think of the unworthiness of other people for our generosity, we can remind ourselves that is who we were when God gave us Jesus.
The Gift itself is the most generous ever imagined. It was His one and only perfect Son, the only one capable of bringing salvation. Anyone who receives the Gift has eternal life, a relationship of love with God forever.
As you meditate on John 3:16, this old and often-repeated verse, grasp the fact that love is always something you do. Love always takes action. It’s not a simple feeling. Remember that “God so loved the world that He gave.”
As we decide upon our gifts this year, as we frantically search for a last-minute present, as we attend our work Christmas parties, as we gather around our glowing trees wound in garland and dangling with ornaments, let us celebrate Jesus’ incarnation with generosity. Whom can we love who has done nothing to deserve it? Who should be the object of our generosity? Remember, generosity is more than simply giving—it costs us something. Rather than simply relaying what we know to be the “real meaning of Christmas” to our friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, and the rest through our words, let us match that with our deeds of generosity.
- How can I mirror the generosity of our Father this year? What can I give to others in order to draw their attention to God’s generosity?