John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge

When we think of the nativity, I pray that none of us forget that it all began with THE gift from the creator of all things. As we consider the Christmas story one more time, I do not think we can begin with Joseph, Mary, angels, shepherds, and “wise men” without first remembering what the gift of God’s only Son cost Him… and cost Jesus. “God so loved”.... Imagine God sending Jesus knowing what He would endure for the likes of you and me. 

God knew that the majority of the world would reject Jesus during His life, and would continue to reject Him even today.  He knew that His Son…the one He is well-pleased with, would endure judgement from evil men, He knew He would suffer the horrific scourging for our healing and that those stripes would be largely ignored, He knew what Jesus would suffer far greater than anybody would know by taking our sins on the cross. He knew what it would cost Him and Jesus to be separated for the first and only time in eternity, and He knew what it would cost His Son to “give up His Spirit” and die, that we might never die. 

But God also knew of the joy set before His Son Jesus. God knew that the only way to redeem the world was through the blood of His Son. He knew that keeping the law was impossible for the Jews, and as gentiles, we didn’t even have that chance… so God GAVE…and instead of salvation depending on how good WE behave…it depended on HIM, His righteousness, His love and His grace… All we were asked was to believe that Jesus was and is the Messiah. God desired to be our Father so, so much…We should never take that for granted. 

           As we celebrate Christmas, let us never forget it began with the “almost unimaginable” love of God and because of that love we have the choice to have a personal relationship with God as Father, and that is the real beginning of Christmas.