Advent is About the ALMIGHTY

God sent a man, John the Baptist, to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. John himself was not the light; he was simply a witness to tell about the light. The One who is the true light, Who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He came into the very world He created, but the world didn’t recognize Him. He came to His own people, and even they rejected Him. But to all who believed Him and accepted Him, He gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.So the Word became human and made His home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen His glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”

From His abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another.
John 1:6 - 16  NLT

Wow! The Almighty God, the all-powerful, supreme God put on flesh for us. Every time I think about this, which is daily in Advent, it amazes me that He loves me - us - people so much that He became vulnerable to rejection, pain, misunderstanding, and wasn't even recognized by most people.

Have you ever felt like you should be recognized but weren't?  I was gone from school for one year while having chemo, came back to teach the following school year, and had some parents and some students not know me.  After eleven years of teaching in that building, I had been forgotten, unrecognized...and I am not God.  Imagine being Jesus, giving up Heaven to come and be the Savior to people, and then they don't even recognize you, including your family.

 

Have you been rejected?  Most of us have in one way or another:  not making the team, not receiving an award that we thought we had earned, a spouse leaving for someone else, a parent deserting us. There are many ways in which we have been rejected.  But, we are not God.  Jesus gave up Heaven, His throne, to be the Savior, and many still reject Him. But, watch what He does:  He gives us a gift!

 

The Lord Almighty, the Word, the Creator, the faithful God, our unconditional Lover gives us a gift!  Christmas is ALL about the gift from Almighty God.  We can become HIS children...if we believe Him to be the Only Son of God AND accept Him as such.  We might be battling cancer, loneliness, or financial struggles but we are children of the Almighty God.  Wow!

 

Gifts?  Gifts?  That is the focus:  His gifts to us.

One gracious blessing after another.

Amen!