world | My Everyday God

Lauren navigates the last leg of our obstacle course.

Today on our Journey to the Manger, we followed the star with the Wise Men.

God placed the star in the sky when His Son was born to share the news with the entire world. He wanted every people of every nation, tribe and tongue to know the Messiah was here—and that the world would never be the same. God sent Himself to come and dwell among us!

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem.

– Matthew 2:1

Wise Men Follow the Star

Magi in the East recognized the shift in the skies and the new light that shone forth. They understood a King had been born, and were moved to go find him. The star guided them through the rough terrain to Jerusalem, and then on to Bethlehem. The wise men entered the presence of the King, and finally understood why they came. They fell to their knees and worshiped the Savior.

Today we jumped through an obstacle course in our home, as we considered the journey the wise men took. We wove around chairs, jumped over the ottoman, leaped from pillow to pillow and dove under the piano bench.

The star beckoned the entire earth to rejoice that the King of Kings had arrived! Jesus’ birth not only affected Bethlehem and the surrounding area, it changed the world, showcased by the star in the heavens. It transforms us even now.

Jesus came to reveal Himself to all mankind, and to you and me. For God so loved the world, that He gave His One and Only Son.

Click here to learn more about celebrating Advent with your family this Christmas, including access to a Scripture plan, free downloads and activity ideas. For more on Journey to the Manger, an advent experience from Focus on the Family, visit the Thriving Family website.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

– John 3:16

Today I am thankful that God loves the world.

God’s love extends to every person. He loves everyone who ever was and ever will be. He loves the child being formed in the womb and the person struggling to hang onto life. God loves people of every culture, heritage and ethnicity. He loves people no matter what language they speak. There is nowhere in the world God’s love doesn’t reach. He loves those working their way up the corporate ladder, and those who are out of work. He loves people living in crammed high-rise apartments, palaces, suburban three-bed two-baths, and trailers with no electric. God loves people who do good and do bad. He loves people who invest their lives in philanthropic work and people who are serving life sentences in prison. He loves those who believe in Him and those who don’t. God loves the person who only goes to church on Christmas, and those who are there every time the doors are open. He loves those who take His name as a Christian, and those who use His name to curse.

God loves without bias or judgment. He loves each person completely. God’s love is not based on our decisions or worthiness. It is based on His. God does not qualify His love. He freely gives it.

God loved the world, each person, so much, that He gave us Jesus. He sent His One and Only Son here to bring us back to Him. Jesus gave up His life because of God’s great love, so each of us can be made right with God and have everlasting life.

Don’t think for a moment that you aren’t worth it. Don’t believe it when you begin to feel that no one loves you, or could ever love you. God’s great love gives us our worth.

Wherever you are right now, whatever you have done or not done, no matter how you feel you measure up, you can know this: You are loved.