All For Love

      It is Christmas Eve.  I'm sitting here this morning having my breakfast and morning prayers.  As I sit here looking out my window at the beauty of God's creation, I also look into my own heart.  I remind myself of the reason for this holiday season, love.  The child in the manger was sent to us, because God loved all in the world so much that he sent his only son to be born in a manger, to live among men as an example, and to be the sacrifice for all sins.  God did this for me.  He did it for you.  He sent his son to live in a broken world and to heal the hearts of those living in a broken world.  It was all for love.

     While reading Psalms 51, I'm reminded of our broken world full of sin.  Psalms 51 is King David's acknowledgement, confession, and repentance seeking forgiveness.  In 2 Samuel 11, David did not consider his actions a sin.  As he was consumed with lust for a beautiful woman, he was only thinking about what he wanted.  Instead of being on the battlefield with his soldiers, he was on a rooftop gazing at a beautiful woman bathing.  He wanted her.  He took her,  He arranged the death of her husband to cover his sin.  It was not until Nathan, the prophet, comes to him to open his eyes to the results of his sin.  It is same with me.  It is same with most of us.  I haven't lusted after anyone or murdered anyone, but all sin separates us from God.

     As David realized that God would no longer be with him, he confessed his sins and asked God to not cast him away and not take away the spirit of God from within him.  God forgave because David came to him with a broken spirit and a contrite heart. (Psalms 51:17)  David still had to suffer the consequences of his sin.  His sinful actions lead to death and grief. (2 Samuel 12) David had to put the sin behind him and move forward with God as his guide.  All this is because of God's love.  

     God still loves this broken world.  Yes, God loves all of us in spite of our sins.  Each one of our sins separates us from God.  The spirit of God will not be in me if I'm trolling through social media judging everyone.  The spirit of God will not be in me if I let my own judgements concerning the gossip or self righteous neighbor consume me.  Instead, I should love as Jesus loved.  I should be praying for them and not having thoughts of them being foolish.  Yes, these things which we don't consider sins separates us from God's spirit, because they are sins.  Instead, we should put aside all of our own judgements and love as God loves.

     God's love is real.  His love leads to forgiveness and salvation for all who believe.  As Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:14-17, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believe  in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  

      All for love, God sent his son to save a cruel and sinful world.  Now, this is the reason we celebrate the birth of Jesus, God's son.  Jesus was sent to die for all sins past and present.  All because God loves you, he sent his son to die for your sins.  As David repented, we should repent and pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalms 51:10)

     Many days before going out into the world I pray: "God help me to see people as you see them.  Help me to love them as you love them."  Why?  Because I know that God loves them, all of them.  Now, in closing, remember as you celebrate Christmas that God loves you.  Christmas is a celebration of God's love through sending his son for the sins of the world.  Yes, it continues to be all for love.