What Christmas means to me

 The passage that I’d like to share may not seem like a Christmas passage, but I think it tells the story very well.

 The Bible says in Lamentations 3:22-24, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “the Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.”

 If God didn’t love us so much, if Jesus would not have been born into our world, if we didn’t have the chance to accept Him as our Lord and Savior, we would be “toast” (as a good friend of mine would put it).  God is a loving God but He also is a just God, without Jesus coming into our world to pay the price for our redemption, we would be consumed.

 His compassion for us would come in the form of a baby.  could it be true that a baby born in a stable over two thousand years ago could be God’s Son?  Why would God let His Son go through the things He did to prove to us that He is our Redeemer, our Savior, and our Lord?  It was His great compassion for us that compelled Him to send Jesus.  He wants all of us to be with Him and He put His plan in motion in a stable and ended it with victory over death itself.  He is always ready to forgive when we fail.  He is always urging through His Spirit to bring us back. His compassions never fail!

 When I wake up in the morning, I realize that I have been given a new day to express my love for my Savior through my actions and words.  How I love others shows my love for Christ.  I think about my wife and daughters (and Adam), what a wonderful gift I have been given because of Jesus coming into our world and faithfully obeying his Father’s will.  It is the love, compassion and faithfulness of Jesus that is my greatest gift and I see that gift in those who love Him.

  Because we know He lives in those who love Him, we have confidence to live our lives for His glory.  Let us enjoy His greatest gift to us, Jesus our Lord and Savior!  If you haven’t accepted this most wonderful life-giving gift, we will continue to pray and wait on the Lord to show His compassions.  They are new every morning!

Merry Christmas,

                                                                       Dan Wenning