by Jennifer Copeland

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

Have you ever received a gift and didn’t realize until much later how valuable it was? This verse describes a gift which, when it arrived in this world, was overlooked by most people. Christmas is right around the corner and at this time of year, we’re reminded of the birth of baby Jesus. The greatest gift in history was born in a stable because even the innkeeper didn’t know the gift’s true value. God’s Son had come, but He certainly didn’t make a grand appearance. Often the Christmas story we see and hear tells only part of the story. Yes, baby Jesus was born into our world, but why? Because we needed Him.

We love superheroes, don’t we? They’ve filled comic book pages and tv screens for so long because we can’t seem to get enough of the men and women who arrive just in time to defeat the bad guys and save the day. Maybe we love them because some part of us realizes that we need someone stronger than us. And that’s where Jesus came in. That’s why God sent His Son. The night He was born in that manger was just the beginning. His journey on earth would end in His death on the cross – or so some thought – until He rose from the dead.

When you think about Christmas this year, remember this verse. It doesn’t tell us about His birth, but it tells us the reason why He was born into this world. He came because He had a mission to accomplish, to give us everlasting life. This year, whether you’ve got a pile of gifts under the tree or not, there’s an even better Gift. And it’s got your name on it.