“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.
(2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9)
Reflection
I have always loved having guests at home. What’s even better, is having those guests sleep over whenever they can and for as long as they can. There’s just a delight I receive whenever my loved ones offer or accept my invitation to spend a night… or many…with me at home.
Being hospitable, bringing comfort and satisfaction to them, never seem to become cliché in my book. I cannot overemphasize the irreplaceable joy that abounds in my heart every time this opportunity comes up. Lots of space, lots of food, lots of talking and lots of laughter are usually in place except for…lots of beds…Whenever there was a need for more beds, I’d always know that it’s time for a Merry X-Change.
This was exactly the case when some of my friends stopped by some time ago. In order to provide them with a worthwhile place to rest their heads, I MerrilyX-Changed my prized place of rest in my bed for a not so nice place on the ground. Despite how uncomfortable it was, I refused to complain because I wanted my friends to be happy and satisfied.
Would I do it again? Of course. It’s a sacrifice I’d be willing to make repeatedly so that my family and friends would feel safe, fulfilled, relaxed and quite loved. My Merry X-Change was a demonstration of my love for my friends and so it was with Jesus!
Jesus made a Merry X-Change
He…made a Merry X-Change for us, His friends that He loved. Though He was rich, yet for our sakes, He became poor, so that through His poverty we might become rich.
Jesus…for our sakes of being saved, experiencing peace, receiving healing, living abundantly, and finding love, purpose and direction in life…merrilyexchanged His place of comfort…His throne of glory…His richness as King. Though He was seated beside His Father in heaven, He gave that place up for a lowly position on earth.
He gladly came to earth as our Saviour and Friend for us to experience the comfort of what a life in Him brings. Jesus performed a Merry X-Change. He sufficiently provided each of us with exactly what we needed and in exactly the time we needed it.
As we aim to have a Merry Christmas, may we never forget the hospitality that started it all. The Merry X-Change of a rich, heavenly King giving up His resting place in glory, coming to a not-so-nice earth so that His friends in sin could become holy. Would He do it again? Of course He would…but one time was beyond enough. His rich love…His Merry X-Change was a flawless demonstration of His love and all we needed to make us feel safe, satisfied, purposeful and loved.
Merry Christmas to you!
Let’s celebrate the Merry X-Change – It’s Prayer Time:
Thanks Jesus, for being a great host for us. You gave up Your best place so that we could find our best places in You. Each time we reflect on what You have done, we have no choice but to be in awe, no choice but to express gratitude, no choice but to celebrate You. We thank You today, that You desired to give us a better life and so You merrily gave Your life to us. We pray that we will never forget, underrate, or abuse this truth but reasonably honour You by giving our lives back to you. We pray and ask this in Your holy name, Jesus, AMEN.