Today we finish our 26 days of “one another.” As I’ve studied and listened to the Holy Spirit of Christ in me during these 26 days, I’ve sensed Christ saying stronger than ever “Love one another just like I love you. That’s the whole ball game.”

 As we grow in grace, we learn more and more how much God loves us and how the most important thing to Him is that we love one another in the same way.   

 At this time of year, many of us in my generation have the pleasure of having one or more of our children with us for the holidays.  We love it when they laugh and play and joke around and tell stories of growing up and just enjoy being together.

 We love it when they get along and are genuinely happy being together.

 We love it when our grandkids enjoy their cousins, have fun playing together and just love being together.

 And when they don’t…when there’s tension, disagreements, animosity, judging, one-upmanship, accusations…we don’t love that. It saddens us because we want them to love and enjoy each other…but we can’t make them do that.  We love them just the same, but we want better for them.

 I think it’s like that with God. He always loves us all just the same. We’re always His children and in His family. And He wants us to enjoy and love and delight in each other as He does us.

 So this Christmastime we can love each other as He loves us.  Grace is God’s unconditional love and pure goodness perpetually in action working all things for the good.  As we do, we delight in the mystery of Christ in us, the hope of glory!

 Merry Christmas, my friends! ~Paul  Gray

P.S.  I’ll be on holiday until January 1. See you then as we start a new year of being ambassadors of God’s reconciliation of everyone to Himself!