Today’s advent reading is found in Ephesians 1:3-14. You are welcome to click the link to the left and read the passage in your favorite translation or read it below as written in the New Living Translation (NLT).

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him” (NLT).

The other day, I enjoyed playing with my daughter and her first nativity – a “toy” of sorts boasting the stable and all of the plastic, squatty characters necessary to share the story of Jesus’ birth. I was surprised by my 3 year old’s interest. She had so many questions, most of which were about King Herod (of whom we had no plastic character with which to add to the story). As I began to explain in as plain speak as possible, my precious girl question’s waned on…

“Why is Hair-wid a bad guy?
“Well, he had too much power and wasn’t very nice.”
“What’s power?”
“Well, it’s like being able to tell people what to do and how to live.”
“Like how you and daddy tell me what to do?”
“Well, yeah… but we’re not bad guys. Herod was just kinda mean to all the Jews and he was afraid of Jesus coming.”
“Why?”
“Because Jesus was going to be the New King. And that worried Herod.”
“Why was he worried about baby Jesus?”
“Because Jesus was going to save all the people.”
“Because Hair-wid had too much power?”
“Because they needed a savior.”
“Oh.”
“Yep.”

Her questions carried on for a few more minutes, but I was able to satiate her by promising that daddy would tell her more when he got home. (Can you tell she’ll be a history buff just like him?)

It was fun sharing the story of our savior with my little girl that day. Her want to know more as we moved those little plastic figurines around was refreshing to my own spirit as I recalled the details of a story so familiar. She expressed such wonder and intrigue, the very sentiments all believers should share, no matter how young or old.

I am sure that years ago, and even still today, many had their own questions. I can imagine some asking incredulously, “This child has the power to save us? He will rule over us with fairness? This baby has the authority to forgive us?” Then there were certain to be others, tired and weary of the tyrant king’s rule, thinking, “Could this king really be any worse?” And still, there were others who had hope within, those anxious for the arrival of this promised Messiah, who believed that this child would truly be their savior. "Come, Lord Jesus, Come!"

What do you believe? Is the story of this king as compelling, rich with hope, awe-inspiring, and wondrous as it was thousands of years ago? Do you believe Christ the Newborn King to be for you today? Do you believe he has the power to forgive you of the sins you committed yesterday, the same as he did the sin you were born into? Don’t forget that the power of Jesus’ story is as redemptive and real for you today as it was 20 years ago when you first met him and 2,000 years ago when he first met us.

Live in the promise that Christ has come to forgive and bring you into fullness and freedom!

This week, pray for forgiveness. What have you said or done recently that has caused separation between you and Jesus? Are you harboring unforgiveness towards anyone? Seek them out and apologize. Ask the Lord to fill you with a desire to be at peace with someone you have been at odds with. Thank God for the gift of Salvation that has come from him alone; praise him for being the King of you yesterday and today! The King Who Forgives Sings has come and is coming still.

 Photo adapted from original photography © James Cooper.