Devotionals

BECAUSE OF CHRISTMAS

by Robert [Bob] Schaetzle Sr. 
12/05/23
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                        BECAUSE OF CHRISTMAS
                         By Robert Schaetzle

 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9 ESV

 My sister and I looked forward to Christmas growing up. Our Grandmother would come every year to stay with us from Iowa. My sister and I would share often when we’d get together, why Christmas was so special.

Because of Christmas, as children, we understood security through Grandma’s love and time spent with us. Though we had not yet recognized the fullness given us because of Jesus. There were blessings for sure, playing games with grandma, making homemade fudge. Grandma had time to do things with us our parents sometimes didn’t have.

Raising family’s of our own, we both learned Christmas as God’s wonderful ‘Gift of Love,’  when our Creator reached down to us. Planting in Mary’s womb a ‘Seed of Hope’  far greater than all our family’s love and gifts exchanged.

To paraphrase Augustine of Hippo, “ If it has been born in the heart it will grow in secret, and in growing will perfect itself until it shall never cease to be. That love be the foundation of our lives. To clear the ground for this precious seed, for God to have room to operate, and make us participators in His life and love.”

We come then, to understand the ultimate ‘Blessing of Christmas’ is more than exchanging gifts to one another, but to love and worship Jesus because of Christmas!

Father, when you reached down to humanity, you presented us your daily promise, to bless us with the everlasting ‘Gift of Love.’ AMEN

Robert serves in a Sharing and Caring Ministry to strengthen and encourage God’s presence in us