The reason for the season

This past weekend, Tom and I hosted our annual N&N Christmas party. For those of you who have not heard of this festive event, let me explain. Tom and I go temporarily insane for about 3 days a year: one day near Christmas and one weekend in the summer. We invite all our nephews and nieces to our house and play all day long. Don't get me wrong: we have a blast! In fact, we have so much fun that neither of us can move the next day! This year, we made ornaments, decorated their Christmas tree, ate gross hot dogs with chili and Cheetos (not me!), went to the mall for a photo scavenger hunt (girls won!), ice skated, and came home to a home cooked meal of spaghetti and a time of sugar cookie decorating and reminiscing over the fun parts of our day. The kids went home with smiles on their faces and giggles in their hearts! Tom and I fell on the couch with smiles on our faces and a bottle of Advil in our hands!

Many people, including our family, ask us why we do this? Let me share. There is the selfish reason of wanting to spend time with them. Of wanting them to remember us when they are grown. Of wanting them to have a family tradition that they will pass down to their children. But it's bigger than that.

As we were driving to the mall, one of my nephews looked up at me and said, " Aunt Marsha, what's that scripture that goes, 'For God so...loved the world...that He...gave....' ", and I helped him finish John 3:16. I asked him what he thought that verse meant and he told me that it meant people who love Jesus get to go to heaven and people who don't go to the bad place. I smiled and would normally have left it at that with a younger child, but I felt the tug of the Holy Spirit on my heart to go a little further.

" This is true," I said. "But it means so much more. Look at all these cars driving around us." We were on I20 at the time.

"God loves all these people in all these cars. And it's not just one person in each car. There are 6 of us in this car and 5 in Meagan's car. So just imagine how many people there are in all these cars! Then think about how many people there are in all the world! That's alot! God loves them all! The good people and the bad people." I had his attention. God had my attention. I continued on.

"In fact, God loved them so much, that he couldn't just let them live in their sin and go to the bad place. You know, God is a just God and he requires perfection. Do you know what that means?" He nodded his head. "So, you remember the flood when all the wicked people were washed away and only Noah was saved? God sent a rainbow saying he would never do that again. So how is he going to deal with evil and wickedness?" Again, that questioning look. He wanted the answer.

"God sent his Son, who was perfect. That Son was Jesus. And Jesus took all that evil and sin for us. And because He did that, we can be with God forever. So, the last part of that verse you memorized is really cool because I want to be with God forever and be in heaven forever! But sometimes we forget the first part of the verse....For God so loved the world.....That's where it starts. For God so loved you, " and I said his name. " And if you were the only person who ever lived, he would have done it all, just for you, so you could be with him, forever!

I was choking back tears. Tom was choking back tears. The kids in the back seat were giving each other wet-willies and had no idea of the mystery of the majesty of the Kingdom of God going on in the front seat of the truck . My nephew is a contemplator. God has his hand on him in a mighty way and I am so excited to see what is in store for him in the future!

My pastor preached a similar message on Sunday. As I pondered once again John 3:16, I realized that I am in a different place in my walk with Christ than I was many years ago. As a younger Christian, I shared the gospel in such a way that I just wanted people to get their "ticket to heaven". I wasn't worried about much more. As God has worked his love and truth in my heart and continued to mold me more and more into his image, I am coming to realize it is all about His love.

For God so LOVED the world........that is truly the REASON for this season.......for EVERY season........and for our lives!