In sports and life, we use the word love a lot.  We say we love our sport and show love through working out, film studying and loads of practice. We show love to our teammates and coaches by hanging out with them and building close relationships with them.  Outside of sports, we love our families, friends, maybe certain classes in school and extra-curricular activities. 

But there is a love that is greater than all of these combined. That love is summed up in one verse of Scripture, one of the most well-known verses of Scripture: John 3:16. “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Think about that kind of love.  Other verses of Scripture tell us that this kind of love casts out fear.  This kind of love offers us the chance to be called God’s children. This kind of love offers us mercy and gives us grace. This kind of love allows us to be forgiven of our sins. And, as John 3:16 itself says, this kind of love offers us eternal life. 

Our Savior Jesus, whose birth we celebrate every Christmas time, became a human to personally show us this kind of love, AND to make it available to all of us!  It’s a free gift for YOU and for ME!  All it takes to open that gift is your whole-hearted belief. That is it! 

So as we come to a close this advent season, gather with your family, eat lots of food, give and receive presents, but make it a point to remember the greatest Present ever sent—a relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, ask yourself if you have received that present. He came here to give it to you. THAT is something worth celebrating.