“Good news of great joy! … The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!” (Lk.2:10-11). “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.” (1Tim.1:15)
Lord Jesus, the next 72 hours invite us to fresh wonder, love, and praise—as we reflect on the breathtaking, eternal-life-giving marvel of your incarnation. Every other king is a baby before they are enthroned; but you left your eternal throne to become a baby. Other kings enter a city with fanfare and flash to impress adoring crowds. But you entered our world with smallness and humility to save helpless sinners. Hallelujah … and thank you.
I treasure the Apostle Paul’s self-description as “the worst of sinners”—for I finally understand what he meant. It’s the most healthy, self-aware, “emotionally intelligent,” spiritually mature affirmation any of us can make. Paul wasn’t comparing his “badness” to other people’s “goodness.” The more of your beauty and love he experienced, the more Paul owned his need for your daily mercies and grace-upon-grace. For we will only be fully like you when you return to finish making all things new.
Me too, Jesus, me too. The more I see your loveliness in the Scriptures, and the more I experience your lovingkindness in the Gospel, the more I realize I am not as joyful as you intend, as free as you desire, or as loving as I will be one Day. But hallelujah a gazillion times over—you don’t love me—or any of us, to the extent that we are already like you, but to the extent we are in you. That happens to be 100%, Jesus—one hundred most glorious percent. Hallelujah, you are our “righteousness, holiness, and redemption” (1Cor.1:30).
What do we want for Christmas, Jesus? More freedom from under-believing this glorious Gospel, freedom to behold more of your beauty and love, and freedom “to do what is right, love mercy, and walk humbly with you” (Mic.6:8). So Very Amen.
