How far will the Love of God go 
to redeem a fallen humanity?

This devotion was published on Sunday December 19th 2021

“For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

In love, the Almighty, All-Powerful One, laid down his power to be born as a baby, fragile and dependent on the care of others. 

In love, the All-Knowing One laid down his vast knowledge to be born a human, who needed to learn everything, from speaking, to tying his sandals, to learning God’s words, to common carpentry skills. 

In love, the All-Present One laid down his ability to be everywhere at the same time, to be limited to one point of history and in one body that had limitations. 

In love, the Unchanging One laid down this constancy to experience all the changes that come with birth, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. 

His kind of love is pretty amazing and greatly sacrificial. And he did all this for you! 

God created the world, and shortly thereafter, sin entered the world, but God’s love didn’t end there. 

God promised to send a Savior and reminded the people again and again, over thousands of years; but God’s love didn’t end there. 

God sent his only Son, Jesus, to be born. Jesus, who is fully God, chose to lay aside all his divine rights, to be born fully human. But God’s love didn’t end there. 

God offered his Son, Jesus, to pay the punishment of our sins and Jesus humbly gave himself into the hands of his accusers, which resulted in his death; but God’s love didn’t end there. 

God received Jesus’ payment and instantly the power of sin was defeated and broken, but God’s love didn’t end there. 

God sent his Spirit to live in us, when Jesus returned to Heaven, to guide us, to not leave us alone, to comfort us and to help us, but God’s love didn’t end there. 

God promised, through Jesus, that Jesus will return one day and take all who believe in him, back to Heaven. But God’s love doesn’t end there. 

God’s love continues on and on, never-ending. God’s love is seen in Jesus. God’s love is seen in the Holy Spirit who is with us. God’s love can be seen and should be seen in each of us as we love God, our own self, and as we love others. 

If we live in faith, that reflects God’s love. If we live in unity, that reflects God’s love. If we serve others, that reflects God’s love. If we forgive others, that reflects God’s love. If we obey God’s word, that reflects God’s love. If we bless others, that reflects God’s love. All these steps may be small or large, easy or hard. But all these things are beautiful and powerful, just as God’s love has always been and always will be. 

“The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell; it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, and pardoned from his sin. Oh, love of God how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!” (Frederick Lehman, 1917). 

Beloved Father, You have loved me so much. I am so grateful for your love. Your love has changed my life. Thank you for loving me so much that you sent Jesus to live and die for me. Thank you Jesus for laying down your divine privileges to come as a baby. What a wondrous gift that I never deserved nor earned. Jesus, you are the best Christmas gift and we give you praise and honor! Spirit, thank you for living in me and for helping me navigate life. Help me to hear your voice even more clearly. All this we pray, in the name of the Son, for his glory, Amen.

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(Optional) I have provided extra readings, for the week ahead, for those who are interested: I John 4:7-10, 16-19, Philippians 2:1-11, John 3:16-17, John 14:15-21