For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. John 3:16-17
Are you a gift giver or do you like to receive gifts? I love gifts. I love receiving them. However, I am not a gift giver. I struggle in this area. Do you? I am a rule follower and I have rules to buying gifts. I think this take the joy out of giving gifts. For the first time in my 16 years of marriage, I truly had fun shopping for my husband this year. WE didn’t really know what we wanted this year for Christmas, so I suggested that we take cart and pick out what we want, them swap carts and shop from the cart. Then put what we don’t want away. I totally splurged on him. I broke my rule and went over budget on him. I can’t wait for Christmas Eve when we open gifts and I see his face when he realizes I got him everything he picked out. I now know how my husband feels when he shops for me. It is so fun to splurge on your best friend.
I wonder if this is how God feels when he splurges his love on us. He gave us his one and only Son, sacrificed him so we could be reconciled to Him. Would you be willing to do this? We might not understand why God did this. But what we do know is that He loved and he gave. Jesus is reassuring us of God’s love for us. He wants us to trust that God’s motives are good. This one gift that God gives will not disappoint. This season open up God’s gift of love, marvel at it, rejoice in it, and share it. Share it with others who need God’s gift of Jesus, so they can have eternal life with God. Don’t keep Jesus for yourself. Pray that God will lay others on your heart for you to share God’s love. Splurge His love on others.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for your extravagant love. I pray that this coming year we who follow you wholeheartedly will share your love with others. That we will be extravagant to others with our love.
In Jesus Name
Amen
