
Amidst the sales of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the rush to get those last-minute or hard-to-find gifts for friends and family, I reflect on the most precious gift I have been given. A gift that is priceless, everlasting, and ever-giving. A gift I received without the use of a credit card, cash, or something given in exchange. That gift seated under the Christmas Tree in my heart is Christ. That gift born in a stable over 2000 years ago was born out of God’s love for me. Not a one-time gift. But, a gift for me now and forever. A gift for today. An undeserved gift for me until the day I die and every day thereafter when my days with God never end. At a place where love casts out all evil. Where Holy light extinguishes all creatures of darkness.
I have many blessed memories of Christmases’ past. Dorothy and I did our best to recreate those magic memories of Saint Nick and the bountiful love of God for our children, John and Catherine. The common thread in all of my memories was the love I received from God. The love of my mom and dad, brothers, and sister which I received before and after polio and paralysis. Love that healed me, comforted me, provided hope to me, and saved me from being crucified on the cross of despair.
I believe that, as God created me and loves me as I am, I have a duty to love others who do not look like me, think like me, are not loveable, or easy to love. Because God gave humankind His only Son out of love for me, what is my responsibility to thank God and show my praise for Him? I am God’s child. God’s love is part of my spiritual DNA. I was born to love others as God loves me.
God has spoken to us in Scripture about the importance of God’s love.
2 Timothy 1:13
Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
1 John 4:8
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Let us pray together.
Dear God, as I prayed in Advent darkness, please help me to make room in the manger of my heart for the light of Christ to dwell.
God, I thank You for Your love, for Your gift to me in the birth of Your Son over 2000 years ago. Your love never gets old and never dies. Because of the birth, death, and resurrection of Your Son, Your love for me is forever.
God, please help me to be an instrument of Your love so that I may truly reflect that love in the living of the life You have gifted me.
God, You are truly the greatest gift-giver of all. May I show my thanks to You in how I love and serve others in Your Holy Name. May I generously give my time and money to Your less fortunate children who have so much more of so much less.
Last, please make room in the manger of my heart for me to carry the love and light of Your blessed Son to others so much in need of compassion, healing, and Holy hope. Amen.
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If you want to purchase for yourself or a friend a copy of Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love or Prayerful Passages: Asking God’s Help in Reconciliation, Separation or Divorce, please click on here to go to Amazon.
Jack H. Emmott is a Senior Counsel of Gray, Reed & McGraw, LLP, a 145-lawyer full-service firm in Houston, Dallas, and Waco, Texas, a Board-Certified Family Law and Master Credentialed Collaborative Law Professional Divorce Attorney, Mediator, Author, Entrepreneur, and Inspirational Speaker. For more information about Jack or his latest book, Bending Angels: Living Messengers of God’s Love, go to www.BendingAngel.com website.