In His Glory

"Greater Love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." - John 15:13


How many of you just read that verse and automatically thought of Easter? Jesus's death on the cross to save us from our sins. I mean after all, He did say this less than twenty-four hours before His crucifixion. Honestly, I've always thought of this verse as relating to Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.

Until a few weeks ago...

Just like every Tuesday night, I was at a Chi Alpha worship service on my college campus. But that night was different. You see? It was our last worship service of the semester, before finals and before we all went home for a month long break. And as we do at the end of every semester we had a special service just for worship and communion.

At some point during the service we started to sing "O Come All Ye Faithful." At one point during this song, it says, "We'll give You all the glory." As I sang those words to my Savior, I started thinking.

Earlier this year God had been teaching me a lot about His Love (and He still is). He was particularly focusing on what His Love looks like and that His Love for us is what brings Him so much glory. Anytime I would see a cross or a picture of Jesus on the cross, it was like God was telling me, "This. This is Love."

His death on that cross was the greatest display of Love He could ever give - the laying down of His life for me. And since God is Love, His death on that cross was the greatest display of who He is that He could ever give to the world.  The more God revealed that to me, the more I came to see His death on that cross as the moment of His greatest glory. Because that was the moment I could look back on over 2,000 years later and say, "That is when Jesus showed me what Love is. That is when He showed me how much He Loves me."

So as I sang that popular Christmas carol, I was reflecting on what God had taught me earlier this year. But you see, this song talks about looking on Him lying in a manger, not looking at the cross. It even tells the faithful to come to Bethlehem and behold Him. Not to Jerusalem to behold the cross.

As I worshiped and thought about these things, God reminded me of John 15:13. And I understood. I understood why the image of Jesus in a manger is so holy.

When Jesus was in that manger, He was giving up His life. For the first time. He was giving up His life in heaven so that He could show us how to live in God's power and freedom. He was giving up His life so that we could know who God is. He was giving up His life in heaven to be with us on earth for thirty-three years. Just like He would give up His life on earth thirty-years later to pay the price for that relationship.

So, next time you see a picture of baby Jesus in that manger, remember. Remember why that night was so holy. Remember how great His Love is for you. Remember that no matter how dirty and smelly that manger was, Jesus was in the moment of His greatest glory. His greatest glory because it was His greatest Love.

Dear Jesus,
I remember. I remember that today is all about You. If it were not for Your Love, today would not be worth celebrating because You never would have entered our world. Thank You. For everything. I Love You. Have a very happy birthday.
Love,
Me
PS - Thanks for sharing Your presents.