December 4, 2021

Jose Abaroa
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Titus 2:11-14

Jesus came on Christmas morning to bring salvation to all who believe in Him, and Scripture teaches us that He will come again to redeem and make all things new. These verses encourage us to choose Jesus daily and renounce the things of the world by living self-controlled, honest, and godly lives until He comes again. This season is filled with a lot of great things and also has its share of not-so-good things. Things like consumerism, greed, and self-focus all take away from the true meaning of Christmas. That Jesus came to redeem us from our brokenness and call us His own sons and daughters.

Currently, as a dad to four little ones, I want to teach my kids that this season is all about Jesus! How He came to save us and how He wants to live through us as we honor Him and make Him known to others. I want to highlight and renounce the attitudes and behaviors that are contrary to the way of Jesus so that we remember the hope we have in Him. We do this imperfectly, but I am eternally grateful for the first seven words above, “For the grace of God has appeared…” Through our imperfections, let us continue to pursue the only perfect one, Jesus, the One who came and will come again to restore all things.