“Why do we have to read the Christmas devotional?” my kids chorused in unison.
My heart squeezed tight with anger, frustration, and sadness. “Because I want us to remember what Christmas is really about,” I managed with frustration edging my tone.
As I read the devotional to my children God gently reminded me – I instruct my children to know the truth, I live my faith out in front of them, but my kids must make their own choices, develop their own relationship with God.
What then is it that draws our hearts closer to God’s? Romans 2:4 tells us “…God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance…” Only when we recognize how desperately in need of a Savior we are – of a God who came in the flesh as a baby, lived the perfect life, died the death we deserved, to pay the penalty for our sin, and rose again to show victory over sin, death, and hell – do we glimpse God’s kindness. And His kindness compels us to live a holy life, to forgive those who wrong us, to follow God more completely.
That is what I want my kids to understand this Christmas. Oh that they would realize that we were drowning in their sin…hopeless and helpless until we accepted the gift of grace offered by our Heavenly Lifeguard. That Heavenly Lifeguard doesn’t require drowning sinners to learn to swim before He saves them. In fact, after the Lifeguard saves us He doesn’t even require us to ever swim without the life jacket of the Holy Spirit in place. No this Heavenly Lifeguard saves us and stays with us, always. He wants us to grow more dependent on Him every day, not less.
And while I teach my children to grow more independent of me every day, I pray this Christmas and all year long that I lead them by example to grow more dependent on God every day of their lives.
May the grace of God overwhelm us all this Christmas. May we desire holiness – not to win brownie points with God or treat God like a heavenly vending machine – but in humble gratitude for His gift of grace. May we be mothers who lead our children by example to the kindness of God.
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