Embracing the Gift of Jesus with Childlike Joy
By Dean Collins
I got a text from my grandson at a little after 7:00 this morning while I was reading and thinking about 1 John 1. I was going back and forth between John 1 and 1 John 1. John starts each of these writings similarly. In his Gospel, he calls Jesus the Word and writes that Jesus was with God and was God. In his first of three letters, John established that he saw, heard, and touched Jesus. These two chapters have been studied by scholars for centuries. Thousands of pages have been written about the incarnation. And whole books have been written about these passages.
So I sat staring at the beauty and power of these two sections of Scripture, wondering what I could possibly add, when my text from my grandson arrived. He’s a smart kid. (All of my grandchildren are exceptional. I suspect yours are as well.) The text was simple: “Good morning.” And then he told me the number of days until Christmas Day, the day Jesus was born. It was followed by an image of the Christ child in a manger.
As I was wrestling with all of the deep and profound mystery of God becoming flesh and trying to grasp his dwelling here on earth, my grandson was simply excited about the birth of Jesus. He wasn’t focused on how many days till Santa Claus slides down the chimney. His heart and mind were focused on the Savior of the world being born in a manger.
Suddenly the passage in John 1 became more hopeful. Not that we always need more and more evidence of the incarnation in order to have confidence in our salvation and eternal destiny, but my grandson’s enthusiasm about the birth of Jesus gave me encouragement. The light does shine in the darkness, even today. And the darkness has never overcome the light. The message of Jesus continues to penetrate the hearts of not just the old but also the young. And you don’t have to fully understand all of the rich theology contained in John and 1 John to celebrate the birth of Christ. In fact, maybe we ought to imagine approaching the season with the eyes of childlike faith.
My grandson had no say in his birth. The same is true for all of us. Our parents made a decision, and we are the result of their decision. But faith does allow us to become children of God as we receive the gift of Jesus. And when we do, we behold his glory in a new and miraculous way.
John also reminds us in 1 John that the gift of Jesus is personal yet communal. Our faith in Jesus as the light of the world means we are a part of both a rich historical family and one that will continue to expand until Jesus returns. Then we will see all of our brothers and sisters and celebrate a Christmas that is frankly impossible to imagine.
My grandson’s text is a good reminder that while giving gifts to our grandchildren is fun, the most important thing we can do is share the gift of Jesus with them, not just at Christmas but every day. John reminds us of the fellowship we all share with Jesus and that a by-product of this fellowship is our joy made complete.
As we await the coming of Jesus once again, I pray your joy would be full and complete. One way to make this happen is to talk to your grandchildren and, honestly, anyone about Jesus.
Your time with God’s Word
John 1:1-5, 9-14; 1 John 1:1-10 ESV
Photo by Unsplash
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