December 24 - Ephesians 2:4-5

Well, when I was in high school, I was running from God. And I mean, like, literally running down the hallway, uh, trying to escape a friend who honestly just wanted to talk about Jesus. And then I heard him shout 2 words. Hold on. And so I stopped. I turned around and everything changed. That friend who loved the Lord, he didn't give up on me. And I learned that from him that neither had the Lord. Well, in Ephesians chapter 2, verse 4, Paul writes another 2 words that changes everything. But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us. Even though we were dead in our trespasses, He made us alive together with Christ. Those 2 words remind me of my friend shouting down that hallway. That I was spiritually dead. We were spiritually dead, but God came chasing after us, entering our world. He pursued us with a merciful and marvelous love that breathes life into our souls. And when you think about that baby in Bethlehem's manger. That's God saying, hey, hold on. I'm coming after you. I'm coming to rescue you. I'm coming to redeem you. I'm coming to save you. And so as you celebrate Christmas tomorrow, tomorrow, remember, every gift under that tree is just an echo of the ultimate gift. That God doesn't just want to warm your heart. He wants to resurrect and revive your soul. So the question is this. How will you live? Knowing you're loved. Like this.

Ephesians 2:4