Christmas Verse

I will never forget the Christmas message I taught when Margaret was 5 months pregnant with Scout. We were working at a small church in Waco. I think we may have had 20 both preschool and elementary in kid's church. We met in a school's music room using a karaoke machine for sound. (I think back to those days and just realize how spoiled I am now with all the lights, equipment, and space we have now.) It was still one of those days in Ministry I don't think I will ever forget.

I decided I was going to use John 3:16 as a text to teach the kids about God's love for us at Christmas. I had written out the lesson. I spent time in prayer about it. I was ready to teach it. We went through the normal parts of our lesson. We played some silly Christmas game. Sang some fun songs. Had a puppet come out and taught the memory verse. Worshiped. I got to the lesson and began talking about this verse that we all have heard a thousand times.

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.

I began crying right there in Kid's Church. It hit me. I don't think I really understood what God gave up for me that Christmas until I was teaching that room of kid's that day. I realized, I would not be willing to give up my unborn daughter who I had not even met yet for anything in this world. I realized my love for her was so strong that I would do whatever I could to keep her from any harm. I realized that instance what God gave up. I knew the verse. I thought I understood what it said. I knew at that moment I couldn't do what God did for anyone. That is why, to me, John 3:16 is the most important Christmas verse. He gave up the most important thing to him for me. He knew the pain Jesus would go through. He knew the kind of death Jesus would have to go through. This Christmas, think about that. If you are a parent, you know what I am talking about. If not, one day you will know exactly what I am writing. God sent his son that Christmas morning for each of us.