15 DECEMBER 2023

 

Generosity

“He has given help to Israel… in remembrance of His mercy.” (Luke 1:54)

One of the great Christmas stories is Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” which tells the tale of frosty old Ebenezer Scrooge, “a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!”

Not terribly flattering!

There is no room in Scrooge’s heart for anyone – he closed it off from the world long ago – and certainly no mercy or generosity. He is despised and feared by everyone, and that is exactly how Scrooge wants it to be.

Mary describes the coming of the Messiah as God “helping Israel”, reminding us again of God’s mercy.

Do you remember what mercy means (see Luke 1:50)? God saw our need – he felt compassion for us – but He also had the resources to meet our need – He did something about it by sending the world the Saviour, Jesus.

Mercy reminds us of the lovingkindness of God. God’s lovingkindness – His “chesed” – is His faithful, steadfast, loyal love toward us, in every situation, no matter what.

Chesed tells us that God is generous, extravagantly giving grace and forgiveness of sins to everyone Who asks Him for it. Unlike Scrooge, there is room in God’s heart for everyone – even the “Scrooges” of our world!

It can be easy for us to take God’s generosity for granted: “God forgives sinners, I’ve heard it all before!”

Which is why I’m encouraging you, with God’s help, to put a song in your heart this Christmas. If you’re feeling a little jaded by it all, why not spend some time pondering over a nativity scene?

Take your time. As you look on the little baby lying in the manger, remind yourself that this is the generosity of God on display for the whole world to see.

Linger with that thought for a while and may joy and thankfulness to God for His incredible generosity rise like the sun in your heart!

God is generous to us in so many ways. Spend time as a family going around the table together, each person sharing one thing they are thankful to God for. (Ask a friend or loved one to do this with you sometime if you are alone).