Today I am thinking of the Christmas story. Not the one where the boy wants a Red Rider bee bee gun, but the one where a girl has a baby that she did not plan to have. The one where that baby is born in a humble stable and laid in a manger. I am thinking of the story that holds my heart in its hand. The story of true love and sacrifice. The one where God came to save the children sin had taken away from him. God’s bit of burnt toast; how He took our mess and made it His glory. John 1:9-13 says:
“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
We love to talk about our rights in America. And while human rights are a hot topic these days, it is our spiritual rights that can set us free as humans. Because of Jesus it is our right to become children of God if we will believe in Him. It will change our world if we live it out. The only thing is, it is not our right because of who we are, where we were born or what we have earned. It is only our right because it was first His right to die for us. So, really, it is all about Him and only indirectly about us.
Our parents’ and grandparents’ generations earned their rights by hard work and wise choices. Our generation has been handed those rights so easily we often think they are ours simply by design. But really, they only are the result of grace. You can’t earn your rights. They are the gift of God, the result of his great love for us. Amazing, isn’t it?
The other day, I was driving and listening to Christmas music. Right after a Bing Crosby tune, O Holy Night started playing. By the end I was raising my hands and singing at the top of my terrible voice. It was kinda weird, but awesome! The lyrics are powerful.
So, Amen to this blog and MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Oh Holy Nigt is my all time favorite Christmas song because the lyrics are sooo moving. I listen to it every day at Christmastime!