You’re Worth Loving
This year St. Peter’s UCC in Grant Park is providing the book A Love Worth Giving to You at Christmas by Max Lucado for our members to distribute to their families, friends, and neighbors as a small gift.
Each book includes an invitation to worship with our church family on Christmas Eve.
Throughout Advent we are reminding everyone that they are worth loving!
Lucado writes, “(Jesus) went from commanding angels to sleeping in straw. From holding stars to clutching Mary’s finger. The palm that held the universe took the nail of a soldier. Why? Because that’s what love does.”
Each day, during Advent, join us for a journey to see just how much God’s love for you is evidenced in the story of Christmas.
Sharing the Christmas Story
Do you know the Christmas story? If someone approached you and asked you to tell them the Biblical story of Christmas would you feel adequate enough to share with them the account?
In a recent survey, half of all Americans shared that they didn’t think they could even “somewhat accurately” tell the story of Christmas from memory and 17% said they could not retell any part of it.
The aforementioned survey began by sharing that 91% of Americans celebrate Christmas. Therefore, nearly two out of every ten people who celebrate Christmas couldn’t even share one detail while five of the ten couldn’t tell the story accurately.
While much could be said about those statistics, the root of the problem in my opinion comes down to two things.
First, people aren’t reading God’s Word – the story of God. The story of humanity. The story of Christmas. If they were, they’d be able to share more comfortably.
The second concern is that this means that people aren’t attending church. If they were, they’d encounter the story of Christmas – at least during Advent (unless the church isn’t doing its job teaching the Word of God).
The greatest story ever told – The biggest holiday shared by people of many backgrounds, countries, and faiths – yet, we have lost its true meaning.
This Christmas, pick up a Bible, attend Christmas Eve & Christmas Day worship, read and listen to the story of Christmas.
If you’re looking for where to read the story in the Bible, some suggestions are: Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:1-7, Matthew 1:18-25, Luke 2:8-21, Matthew 2:1-12, John 1:1-18.
Christmas came because God LOVED YOU so much!
Prayer: God, guide us into a better knowledge of You and Your story. Help us to learn the Christmas story, along with all of Your word, that we may be able to share it with others. Amen.