Christ-Centered Christmas -- Day 20
Vernon Grounds tells the story of well-known Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov, known for such books as Lolita, Pale Fire, and Ada. One summer in the 1940s, Nabokov and his family were staying at a ranch in Alta, Utah, where the novelist took the opportunity to enlarge his collection of butterflies.
One evening at dusk, he returned from his excursion saying that during a hot pursuit for a butterfly, he had heard someone groaning loudly down by the stream. "Did you stop to help?” He was asked.
"No,” Nabokov replied, “I had to get the butterfly."
The next day the corpse of an aged prospector was discovered. Vernon Grounds goes on to state, “While people around us are dying, how often we chase butterflies!”3
This mindset is the exact opposite of what Jesus wants for His birthday, and every other day for that matter. Christ desires that we return God’s amazing love with our own love demonstrated by how we treat all those around us
THINK
How do we see God’s selfless love demonstrated in verses 3:16, 4:9 and 4:10?
What should our response to this love be according to verses 3:17, 18; 4:7, 11, 20, 21?
In what ways are you showing God your deep love for Him this Christmas season?
How are you obeying today’s Scripture and showing God’s love to others this Christmas season?
What would it look like to love others deeply instead of the safe, cautious way many Christians love others?
PRAY
Thank God for the bold and amazing ways that He has shown His love to the world in general and to you specifically
Confess to God, if necessary, loving Him and others cautiously, afraid of what others might think or say
Ask God to fill you with a bold love for Him and others
Ask God to use you to love others this holiday and beyond
APPLY
Think about ways that you can boldly show the love of Christ to a love-starved world
Pray daily, asking the Lord to use you to boldly show His love. He delights in answering prayers like that
