All For Love

What is the chief end of man?
Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

There is no other catechism I remember quite as well as that one. Our main function, our primary goal is to glorify God and to walk in the benefits of a life joined with His. Not one day. Not as soon as... Glorify Him today. Enjoy Him today. Heaven on earth. And isn't that what this season is all about? Heaven come to earth. But why?

I was contemplating the wonder of it all the other morning. I'm going to ask you to forget that God submitted to human authority, laid down a life of splendor and royalty in exchange for cloth diapers, and came to a place where He would face daily egregious wrongs committed by men toward others for over thirty years. His heart breaking for His people, but His hands restrained for the greatest good of those people. God came to earth to die.

Luke 19:10 says, "...the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost." To find the lost (Rom. 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."), to seek out and call those given over to the influence of sin, and to save them (Acts 4:12 "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved."). How was that to come about? Matthew 20:28 says, "...the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many." He gave His life as a ransom; He laid down His life that you and I could live to glorify and enjoy Him forever, today.

We can't begin to imagine the glory God is due. We require our children to respect us because of our role as parents and because of their need to respect authority their entire lives. We expect our teacher or employer to give us the credit we deserve for a job well done. We -- hopefully -- pay our bills when they come due for the services or products we have been allowed to use. Expectation. Entitlement. Those words are not at all foreign to us and yet, who could imagine all God is due?

The Creator of the Universe. The Great I Am. The Alpha and Omega. The Way, the Truth and the Life. Jehovah Jireh. Who can measure His worth? Who could possibly do enough, say enough, sing enough to offer up all the praise He is due. No one. Which is why God acts in such a way to bring glory to Himself. (This tally by John Piper is a pretty diverse account of the ways God has brings glory to His name.) And there is no wrong in it. If your coworkers were all sent home day after day, and you were expected to pick up the slack, would you do it for free? You would want the honor you are due. Does your wife always get her way? As a spouse and partner, you want the respect you are due. And God is due all glory and honor for He created all things, and they are permitted to exist because He allows (Rev. 4:11).

But was His own glory the motivation for what took place in Bethlehem long ago? Forgive me if you've heard this before, but "For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). It was for love. John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends." 1 John 3:16 tells us, "By this we know love, because He (Jesus) laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Love was the motivation for God coming to live and hunger and weep and work with mankind; love was the motivation for His death just a short time later.

God the Son was glorified; God the Father was glorified. In birth and in death. Luke 2:13-14 the story of Christ's birth, recounts "a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest...'" As Judas left to betray Him, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him" (John 13:31). But if not for love, what would bring glory? It is the magnanimous deeds of one which causes their story to be told throughout the ages. It is selflessness that draws people into lasting, intimate relationship with another. God gained the glory He is due, but it was because of an incredibly loving act -- God, coming to earth for us. Emmanuel.

The Christmas Dresses

It fit like a glove. It was bright red, and soft, and may have been the first in a young girl's memory. The Christmas dress. An unremarkable woman's attempt at bringing some hope to a bad situation. The smile on the young girl's face was tentative. They barely knew one another, and pleasing the other was something they were still learning to do. But as their exchange continued, trust emerged, and they began to leave the thrift store with their purchase.

"Where did it go?"

"What?"

"Where did it go?! The dress. The red dress that was hanging right here!"

"I just bought it," the unremarkable woman replied.

"Oh, no! I just paid the lady for it! I was buying it for a little girl who needs a family. My church and I are trying to give her a good Christmas."

The unremarkable woman and the young girl exchanged glances. They had family. They were family. And they handed the bright red Christmas dress over to the little girl with no one but strangers.

"Please pray for this little girl," said the lady with the Christmas dress.

And they did. The unremarkable woman and the young girl.

"We heard what happened with the Christmas dress," said others. "We'd like to give you this."

The bag was bigger than the young girl. Two perfect Christmas dresses, two beautiful pairs of shoes, and more hope than the unremarkable woman could ever give a young girl. A sweet indulgence crafted by the One who knows each sparrow that falls and faithful servants who obeyed His voice.

Merry Christmas to all!