(Luke 2:10 NIV) But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Everyone wants to be loved. God is love. Whether we realize it or not each of us has an innate need of God. God designed us to need him and to desire his love for us.
God began manifesting (showing) himself to man in the Garden of Eden. It was not his actual form because humanity is not designed to be able to see God face to face and survive. God revealed himself as a voice. He taught Adam about the planet he had created for him and worked with him to name the animals. He gave Adam one simple rule; do not eat from the tree of knowledge.
God continued to speak to humanity until the time of Moses when the people begged that God no longer speak to them. They were so afraid of the voice of God that God stopped talking to them audibly. Instead he began sending messengers who would not be so frightening. Angels were sent to share the will of God.
Though God continues to this day sending angels to speak to people he also showed his love by sending us leaders of various types to meet the specific needs of his people. They hold varying titles and offices but they all have one thing in common; they lead and teach the people about God.
God finally decided to walk among us himself. He created a body and entered it and was born as a human child. He spent thirty three years walking among us. He taught and performed miracles and more clearly explained what his love was all about.
Humanity has always been afraid of death. It is the ultimate end of each of us. God knew that death was not an end, as humans saw it, but that it was just a beginning of a better existence. By sending Jesus to live and to die in our place he has given us the greatest example of love that can ever exist. He allowed his heart to be broken so our hearts could be healed. He exchanged his life for our death so we could exchange our sin for his righteousness.
Had his death been the end of the story it would not have been sufficient. In raising from the dead to a glorified life, Christ has shown us that we too can live in a glorified existence. You may have missed one of your Christmas presents this year. If so, go back and open the one from God and embrace the eternal life he has given you through the graciousness of his love.
(John 14:21 NIV) Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
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