The Christmas Gift
December 24, 2003

SFC Hayner, CDR Rhodes, MGySgt Hampton, CDR Roots and MSgt McBride gather round the tree. Click here to view Roots' photo album.

It's all about relationships.

I can't tell you how many military members I have spoken to these last fourteen months, but almost without exception the issues, problems and conflicts center on strained relationships.

There are, of course, the sad, yet expected, "Dear John Letters." Only in today's technological world, these unwelcome letters are electronically transmitted via computer, specifically through email. Add to that our gender inclusive military and I guess we could call them "Dear John/Jane EMails."

In so many relationships today the connection people have with each other is superficial or conditional. And it's always fragile.

People constantly find themselves in difficulty trying to maintain relationships. We have an ongoing broken relationship with God, and only God can fix it — if we allow him to. How can I say so outrageous a thing? Because the Bible speaks directly to this problem. Let me explain.

The race of Man was created in the image and likeness of God. God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness." We were made to be in relationship with him. We call that fellowship. The fellowship with God was interrupted because of sin. The Bible says, "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

The principle to remember here is that sin always interrupts relationships — with God, as well as with others.

So what can you and I do about this fractured relationship with God? The answer: nothing.

The Enduring Freedom Chapel at Camp Lemonier, Djibouti, East Africa is decked out for Christmas away from home.

Does this surprise you? If it does it may be because you have believed that God's acceptance of you is based on a merit system. You may think, as many do, that if you demonstrate more good than bad in your life, you become acceptable to God. I call this the "Santa Syndrome." You remember, don't you? Santa makes his list, checks it twice, to see who's been naughty, and who's been nice. Unfortunately, that just is not God's evaluation system.

God's means of determining who is worthy to be in His presence is totally out of our control. You see, God said the punishment for the act of sin is death, and the only acceptable payment for sin is a perfect sacrifice. You and I are not acceptable for being this sacrifice because we are not perfect. Thus, this payment which God Himself required, can only be paid for by Him, since He alone is perfect. Once you understand this, you will see why you can never merit God's favor on your own.

Enter: The Perfect Sacrifice.

Jesus, the Son of God, was, is, and will continue to be, that perfect sacrifice until such time that God brings the curtain down on this tired old world.

Remember the song the angels sang that first Christmas — the night Jesus was born? "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests." This idea of "peace on earth," has often been mistaken to mean a lack of war between nations. Instead, God came to offer the olive branch to us, the guilty party in this whole mess. He invites us into a peaceful relationship with Him. Once that relationship is established, we can also be at peace with our neighbor. That's the restoration of relationships needed in every person's life. And until that takes place, our relationships are always on tinder hooks.

And when you come right down to it, our lives are measured by our relationships. You can be very successful in the eyes of the world; you can make lots of money and acquire lots of toys; you can even be famous and rub shoulders with the powerful and influential. But if you do not have meaningful relationships, you are an empty shell, and will have nothing to show for the life you lived.

Jesus came to change all of that. God's plan is to restore us in our relationship to Him. That is done only through Jesus. As you accept God's payment for your sin, the blood sacrifice of Jesus, then God will begin to do a special work in you. What work is that, you ask? Why, to change you so completely that you act and think and — dare I say — look just like Jesus! Impossible, you say? No. It has always been God's desire that we return to that original relationship with Him before sin messed up the image. He wants to "conform you into the image of Jesus."

Jesus, the babe of Bethlehem, came announcing God's plan for restoring the relationship. That's the Christmas gift. Jesus, the crucified, comes now asking simply to have you invite Him into your life so that He might finish the job begun so long ago that first Christmas.

Will you accept God's Christmas gift today? He really does want to have a relationship with you. Why? Because God loves you.

And that, my friends, is why we celebrate Christmas.