MERRY CHRISTMAS! Advent: God's Unique Love - Wednesday, December 25
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7
One of my favorite Alaska memories happened during the summer of 2018 when we were privileged to spend time at Teen Camp. What a joy it was to meet those teens, hear their stories and their dreams, and to be able to encourage them and be encouraged ourselves.
The individual personalities and skills each teen possessed became apparent very quickly. Some were very outgoing and social, others hung back and kept to a few friends. Some had definite career goals and were pursuing them, others were living up their teen years. Some were into sports, many enjoyed fishing and hunting in traditional ways, and still, others were technology buffs. Within that group of teens, it was easy to see God’s handiwork, his plan and a purpose for each teen. But could they see it for themselves?
I was given the opportunity to present the morning devotion on their last day of camp. I recounted to them the promise given in Psalm 139, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.… Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (v. 13, 16).
I asked them to look closely at their fingerprints. Take a minute to examine your own and absorb the reality that these prints appeared when you were around thirteen weeks old in the womb! No two people on earth have a matching set, even identical twins. God loves each individual so much that He gives them a unique combination of appearance, attributes, and purpose.
When I hear the Christmas story of Jesus’s birth to Mary in the stable, I also think about our own design and creation. I am in awe that God would send His Son to be born of a virgin, with his own unique body, complete with individual fingerprints! Equally awe-inspiring is the fact that Jesus would live his life and die with us in mind. Absolutely amazing- our God loves, creates, redeems, and gives a purpose to each one of us through Christ. Now that is something to celebrate this Advent season!
Heavenly Father, this Advent season is a time of wonder. First, that you would send your Son to dwell among us and to redeem us. Thank you for that precious and life-giving gift. Second, that you would create each of us uniquely and with purpose. Thank you that we can go forward each day knowing that your love and grace will sustain us. Amen.