Sacrifice

If you are running away from God it’s time to stop and turn your heart back to him.

Life—now and forever—is found in Jesus alone.

Here’s the question. What is it costing you to serve Jesus? I mean, really? What sacrifices are you making for the One who gave it all for you?

There is only one “monument” that can stand - a life transformed by Jesus. It is erected by grace through faith, “decorated” by the atoning blood of the Perfect Sacrifice. And there in its deep solid foundation is chiseled the name of its Maker. This life will stand forever.

Although he was the king’s son, Jonathan acknowledged David as the next king and made the sacrifices necessary for that to happen.

Doubting God is a disease that continues to infect the human heart. God provides sin’s sacrifice; we proclaim self-sufficiency. God provides forgiveness; we carry our sin. God promises never to leave us; we feel alone.

“God made him who knew no sin to be sin for us so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus is the only one who can make atonement for our sins.

Only God can make us holy. Maybe that has been one of your struggles. You have been trying to make yourself good enough for God. Good luck with that. But here’s the good news - Jesus came to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.

While there are things we don’t know about the wise men, here are the things we know for certain. These men made a great sacrifice to see Jesus. They traveled a great distance. They brought their best to him. They sought Jesus and didn’t stop until they found him. They worshiped him. That is the heart of the magi story. And…that should be the heart of our Christmas story as well.