The Heart of Christmas Fulfillment
1 John 1:1-4: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched–this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete.
The sentiment and warm feelings of the Christmas season may seem shallow to Christians who understand what Christmas really is, but I don’t want to dismiss the feelings of the masses this time of year. Every person’s longing for love, the innate sense that there is something more in life is an indicator that we are formed by our Creator. Love is before time, experienced by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit before the world we know was brought into existence. God created the world to bring us into His love and share it with Him. When we damaged the love of God in the Garden of Eden, God immediately embarked on a plan to repair it. The desire to be part of love (and true love comes from God) is experienced by everyone and is especially prominent around the story of God’s love at Christmas, even for those who haven’t yet put their finger on the details. If you don’t know the real story of Christmas, God’s love hovers around in a vague cloud of cheer and joy.
In the letter we know as 1 John, John pinpoints the source of love and the power behind the joy. He is not merely telling a story; he is speaking with language that would be used in court to testify to the truth. He is crying out, “I know what this joy is! I’ve seen it! I’ve experienced it!” John’s whole point in writing this letter is to show you that God is love. He created the world in love; He gave His life to repair our relationship when it was broken; He rose back from the grave to secure your place with Him in Heaven.
Entering the world as in a baby in a manger, God went to great lengths so you could know Him and His love personally. John and the other apostles went to great lengths to share the message with all of us. Here’s your Christmas challenge. Go to great lengths to get to know God. It takes time to read, to hear, and to absorb the Word of God. Understand what it means that God became one of us to reveal Himself to us—His love, humility, wisdom, and compassion. When the message of “God with us” is the foundation of your life, you have joy even when you don’t feel “happy”. You have security among the insecurities of daily life. Christmas joy expands beyond vague warm feelings into a genuine secure relationship with your Savior.
Merry Christmas, Children of God!
PRAYER: Dear Lord, sometimes we dismiss emotions to carry on a traditional rule-following religious upbringing. Your love is not about following rules. It is about forming and clinging to a deep and very real relationship with you. Open our hearts as we connect with you in your Word. Help us to truly know you and feel the joy of being your child. In Jesus’ name, Amen.