Just
Wanted To Say I Love You
You
see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ
died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:6
As Susan shared
her story, a smile replaced the frown I'd worn when she'd begun
telling me of her family's recent challenges.
“I've
had a particularly rough time of it lately. Actually, it's been the
most challenging time I can ever remember.” Susan wasn't
complaining, just explaining.
“I
sat the boys down last week to ask them if we could postpone
Christmas until after I received my tax refund in February. Know what
they said? 'Sure Mom! Don't worry about it.'”
“You've
got great kids!”
“They
are. I love 'em to pieces! I'm proud of 'em, too! Anyway, the next
day I went to town to make a payment, and when I walked in the front
door of the creditor I noticed an eight foot stocking hanging from
the ceiling, stuffed with all kinds of toys and other Christmas
items. I asked the Customer Service Rep what the stocking was for,
she told me it was the grand prize for their Christmas contest.
Customers could nominate anyone they felt deserved the prize by
writing a story about them and why they deserved to win. So...I
nominated my boys, explaining how gracious they'd been about waiting
for Christmas because of our financial situation.”
I smiled, pretty
sure of what was coming next.
“I
got a call from the store last night. The boys won! We're gonna have
Christmas after all! God is so good!”
“All
the time!” I agreed wholeheartedly. “He's very fond of you ya
know!”
†
In the midst of some of our most
difficult challenges God shows up in conspicuous ways to show us how
much He cares for us! Susan and her boys will never forget Christmas
2016. It will forever be the year God became personal, the year He
said Merry Christmas at just the right time!
Paul, in today's text, explained to the
Romans the desperate nature of God's love for us. And like today's
story, He will go to extreme lengths to prove it. Christmas is God
saying, “I love you” in the most extremely intimate way possible.
We can't earn this gift, but all we have to do to win this
all-encompassing Grand Prize is say yes to God's sacrifice, Jesus.
Prayer
“I say 'Yes!' and give
my life to You, Jesus! Thank You for coming to give me eternal life!
Amen.”
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