Saving the Best for Last

The best news of Christmas is that this baby is born for everyone.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

As I planned out these Christmas blogs I thought about placing the infant Jesus on the first day of Christmas (Christmas Day) or waiting until the twelfth day, that is, today. Obviously I opted for the latter. I wanted to save the best for last.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

John 3:16-17 English Standard Version

January 05This isn’t the first time, nor will it be the last, that I use this passage in a blog, but I cannot top what it says about this gift for all people.

This baby is born for all. That sounds nice and pious but God means it.

We’re grateful that the baby is born for us, and it is easy to give lip service to being thankful that he came for our enemies, but really, are we thankful that the baby came for all?

Are we grateful  that he came for the child abuser, mass murderer and religious fanatic? Is this how God works? We want justice (translated, we want them to burn in hell). But look closely at the baby. He came for all no matter the extent of a person’s sin.

And we ought to be glad that he did because in someone else’s category of sin, your’s and mine might rank at the top; okay maybe not the top but up there on the list.

All sin is covered by this baby. All sinners are loved by this baby. That’s saving the best for last.

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Copyright Douglas P Brauner

About Douglas Brauner

I'm a retired pastor, blogger, and photographer. (Oh, and did I mention husband and father?) I encourage people who wrestle with life to focus on Christ so that they experience hope and joy on life's treadmill.