The Child Has Come So that We May Be Children Too!

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Scripture:

1John 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1John 3:2 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

Observation:

God sent his only son to be born here on this earth as a fragile baby.  As we look upon the baby in the manger we are reminded of the innocence of childhood.  Can you imagine the love of our heavenly Father who would be willing to send his son in this form so that we too can be invited into the innocence of childhood and stand before him as his adopted children.  His love has been lavished on us through his Son — and we are now children too. 

Application:

I walked through Walmart yesterday and there was a man delivering bread who looked so much like my brother Jerry.  It seems that I see the face of my brother Jerry reflected in the faces of others from time to time and I realize how much I miss him.  He’s been gone for a number of years now - gone to be with Jesus — but it still just doesn’t seem right.  He should be around when the family gathers.  He should be receiving a call or a card on Christmas.  He should be writing out his plans for the next year on a napkin in a restaurant.  He should be laughing with dad and mom in their living room.  He should be complaining about technology and how awful it is to be using a computer!  I miss Jerry, for he was my brother.

Biologically Jerry was not my brother.  My parents adopted Jerry when he was just a few days old but he was and will always be my parents’ son.  So, while biologically Jerry was not my brother, in reality he was and is my big brother.  There was no difference in our family as to how one family member was loved or accepted.  We were all, equally, my parents’ children.  Their love reached out to every single one of us and they prayed passionately for all four us. 

Why do I miss Jerry?  Because he was my brother.  I loved him.  He was a part of our family. 

The love that our family had for my big brother, Jerry, is nothing compared to the love that God has for you and me.  He sent his Son on that first Christmas day so that we could all be adopted into the family.  As we celebrate today let’s be grateful for the baby who came so that we could be children too.  And let’s relax, and be childlike in our faith and have fun today in the innocence of childhood.  We are all children today — His children. 

Merry Christmas.

Prayer:

Thank you for your Son, and that I can be your daughter, too!  Amen.

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