The Gift

                                                                                                                                                                                                   For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

True love always inspires intentional, authentic and effective giving of ourselves to others. The one who genuinely loves is willing to give that which best communicates the depth of their willingness to give themselves to their beloved. So, a true giver always includes something of themselves in every gift.

The deeper our love, the more of our true selves we put into the gift we give.

That is why the Father gave us Jesus. In Jesus God is giving all of Himself to us.

That first Christmas the Father packed all of His fullness into Jesus just for us.

When we say we love someone, we are saying "The best I am and the best I have I am willing to give you at the right time, in the right measure and in the right way."  To withhold ourselves from another who needs us is the opposite of love.

Gift giving should always include giving something of ourselves to another.  It should be more than just giving something nice to another.

Seeing Jesus as God giving us Himself makes Christmas take on its true meaning.  Examine Jesus closely this  Christmas and you will see God giving you everything.

When someone asks what you got for Christmas.  Just say, "Everything!".

Bud McCord

Abide International

It Is Not Fair!

Seems like everyone is suddenly very upset because so many things are not fair.  Apparently an entire generation has been intently focused on things that are not fair and they are mad and motivated.  They have come of age and they are upset.

On the one hand this is exciting news.  Some good changes are certainly on the way with all this new energy being unleashed against unfairness.  On the other hand, this is not the first generation to throw itself fully against what is unfair.

As a person who was a teen in the 1960’s in the USA I saw Martin Luther King, Jr. go beyond what was fair.  He dreamed of and fought for something much greater than what is fair.  He called a generation to be fair and to love at the same time.  He died for more than fairness.  He died for love, too.

As noble a goal as fighting what is unfair is, it is far short of what is needed.  Unfair only gives way to genuine, sacrificial love.  I believe that is what Dr. King believed because he believed in Jesus.

I know the passion for fairness is wonderful to feel and to see.  Even so, I pray that among those who are screaming so loudly in other people’s faces there  would be many who remember that fair needs love and true love is always fair and even more than fair.

Jesus never used the word fair.  He used the word just.  Just includes love that is fair.  It is hard to think of Jesus getting up in anyone’s face screaming.  It is easy to see him getting up on the cross bleeding.  Kind of reminds me of Martin Luther King, Jr.  I never saw him scream in anyone’s face and I never saw him back down or stop loving.

Bud McCord

Abide International

"Where Am I?"

Anyone who travels regularly and sleeps often far from home knows what it is to awaken in a dark room and ask “Where am I?”.  This disorientation disturbs sleep and makes falling back asleep hard.  Until the question of where we are is answered rest just will not come.

When this happens to me I stay very still and ask Jesus “Jesus, where am I?”.  He kindly says “In Me.”  The peace comes quickly and I can rest again.

It really does not matter where I am, what time it is or how dark it is around me because I am always “in Christ”.

In Christ abundance of love, peace, water and bread await me.  Jesus is all.

In Christ I know what work awaits me in the light. My work is to believe in Jesus.

In Christ I know that I will be surrounded by equality.  In Christ there are no men or women, no slaves and free and no Jews and Greeks.  There are only people living equally in Christ.

In Christ I know that everyone’s goal is the same.  We all exist to love those we need to love in the right moment, in the right manner and in the right measure.  I know that this love will come to me and through me from being in Christ.

It really does not matter where I sleep because I will sleep in Christ.  It does not matter where I awaken and it is dark, I will awake in Christ.  It doesn’t even matter if today is my last day in this world because I will leave this world and live on in Christ.

In Christ is where every believer is at all times.  Orient yourself to Jesus and rest.

Bud McCord

Abide International