Author: Mary Baird
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Romans 5:8 NLT
In today’s scripture we get a picture of the Christmas story. Whether you are someone that has come into a personal relationship with Christ or not you know the story of Christmas, that a child would be born of a Virgin, the Son of God. But as we look around and see the various ways people choose to celebrate this time of year let’s take a few moments to ask why? Why did God send His Son? The scripture tells us he was sent into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him, but let’s not jump over the first part of the scripture. It was because of Love; God's love for us all. As John 3:16 states he sent his Son because of His love for the whole world.
That’s you, me and everyone we know and everyone we don’t know. Not just a Son, His one and only Son.
Have you ever heard the saying “saving the best for last”? After the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden God tried many ways to restore the relationship He created us to enjoy with Him. But as the New Testament opens, we begin to see the story of the reason Why unfold. LOVE! A love the scriptures described in Ephesians 3:19 as surpasses understanding. Why else would anyone give up their best, their “one and only”? He gave up His best so we could be part of the best He had in store for us.
We struggle to give up the last cookie, or share our favored things. God showed how much he loved us by sending his best, his one and only …
God unfolded a final plan that would become the line in the sand, the yes or no, to living the best life he planned for us before we were even formed in our mother’s womb. God offered his best, his one and only that we might live our best life through Him, not necessarily an easy life, but the best with our creator, that we could be rescued from this evil world and be assured of eternal life with Him.
Might I suggest this advent season as we are just a few days from the celebration of our Savior’s birth that instead of struggling to find that last best gift for someone that you take a few moments to look over your own bests, your one and only’s. Those things you might have stored in your top dresser drawer for safe keeping, a closet, on a bookshelf, in a cabinet or even displayed somewhere prominently in your home as a “best” gift to someone this season. In doing so, provide an offering to God to say thank you for not only giving his best, his one and only for you, but for the example of giving what is most precious that will let those gifted know that they are loved!