God’s gift to us

It has been an awful year. Many of us are just happy it will soon be over. The COVID-19 pandemic created havoc in the lives of people and nations all over the world. Fear has been in the air all year. Even this season of joy doesn’t feel that joyful.

For many, sheer faith in God and hope for better times sustained them. We have heard and read of pandemics like the Spanish flu in the early 1900s or the Bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death in the 1300s. But no one really thought we would experience one like any of those in our lifetime.

Advances in medical science have tremendously extended life expectancy and improved the quality of life in our time. But the best minds in medicine were stumped by a new virus that quickly spread worldwide. Our best human response was to wash our hands, wear a mask, and stay away from people.

There are vaccines now developed in record time that may or may not provide relief. There are still so many things about the vaccines and the virus that even the scientists don’t know.

In the meantime, governments are employing draconian measures such as shutting down national borders and imposing lockdowns that prevent people from moving about. Those measures may be helping slow down the spread of the virus but have also flattened the economy. This strategy is unsustainable but governments have limited options.

The first Christmas also happened in unsettled times. There was political oppression from the Roman conquerors. Hypocrisy was the prevailing norm among the religious leaders of the Jews, the Lord’s chosen people.

Actually, God had long been disappointed with his people and had punished them time and again for their sinful ways. But God must have also looked down with sadness about their pitiful state and knew only a savior, pure and blameless can save them.

That savior was no less than His Son, Jesus Christ, who had been with Him even before the creation. Our Lord knew the savior must suffer and die for the sins of His people. Yet, He did not hesitate to send His Son because as the Bible explained it in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

And so, the tradition of gift giving started on Christmas when God gave the first and greatest gift – the gift of His Son. Jesus, the second person in the Holy Trinity became man to fulfil the mission of saving humanity from eternal damnation.

But why must God become man? Hebrews 2:14-16 explains:

“Since we, God’s children, are human beings – made of flesh and blood – He became flesh and blood too by being born in human form; for only as a human being could He die, and in dying break the power of the devil who had the power of death. Only in that way could He deliver those who, through fear of death, have been living all their lives as slaves to constant dread.”

In this sense, celebrating Christmas is incomplete unless the birth of our savior is seen in the context of Calvary and the Resurrection. Evangelist Rick Warren pointed out that “Christmas has no meaning if Jesus had not died on the cross for us and then proved that He is God by rising again three days later on Easter Sunday.”

Pastor Rick also observed that God’s gift to us this Christmas is the best gift we will ever be given:

“It is the most expensive gift we will ever receive. It’s priceless. Jesus paid for it with His life.

“It is the only gift we will ever receive that will last forever.

“It is an extremely practical gift – one we will use every day for the rest of our life.”

Why did God give us this gift? Love. Because God loves us dearly, He came himself.

As Pastor Rick explained, because “The Bible tells us God is love. Love is the essence of God’s character. It is his very nature. The reason that everything in the universe exists is because God wanted to love it. Otherwise, he would not have created it.

“Although God created us for a purpose, we’ve all taken many detours in life, thinking we know better. So, God had to send Jesus as our savior to redeem us from sin, to reset the directions of our lives, and to restore us to His original purpose for our lives.

“Accepting Jesus as savior, you get your past forgiven, you get a purpose for living and you get a home in heaven. No one else can make that kind of an offer. Only God can…

“If it were possible for you to save yourself and you don’t really need a savior, God would not have wasted the enormous energy, effort, and pain to send one.”

I have seen these past months that those who have been able to cope best with the challenges of this year are those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. They have survived 2020 without losing their minds because they recall what St Paul said in Philippians 4:6-7:

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

Merry Christmas to everyone!

A final note for the season: Don’t fail to watch Pasko Na! Pasko Na! the virtual Christmas concert of UP’s symphony orchestra and choirs nationwide.

So much young talent… great old Christmas classics and new takes on them. It lifted up my spirits and overpowered the Grinch in me. It also made me hopeful of the future as I watched and listened to the performance of UP’s Iskos and Iskas.

Here is the YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?fbclid=IwAR0zMwYxo24QUZQ6MPaWSMMqFnta3OTnwbB0NIRFRaCKOCdCXLIQnOf5gfI&v=c1odiPg5ECY&feature=youtu.be

It will be available for free up to Jan. 2, 2021.

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @boochanco