On 2nd December 2007, I was so blessed to hear a powerful message by a lady preacher. She used a recent real life testimony to illustrate the power of God's love. One of the female singers in the church recently lost her mother to cancer.
Her mother was 54 years old when she went home to be with the Lord. In the final months of her illness, the family nursed her at home with the sister's father personally attending to most of her mother's needs. As time passed, her mother gradually lost her toileting capabilities, as she grew weaker with each passing day. Each time when her husband cleaned her up, she would apologised in Mandarin saying: "dui bu qi, hen chou" (对不起, 很臭) meaning "so sorry, it really stinks". Without fail, the loving husband would reply: "yin wei you ai suo yi bu chou" (因为有爱，所以不臭) which means "because of love, it does not stink". Tears were welling in my eyes.
This is a heart-warming story of human love, but God's love far surpasses the depth of human love.The stench of our sin is utterly awful but it is does not deter Him from perusing us with His unconditional love. How high and wide is the Father's love. How deep and strong is His love for you and I.
Many years ago, a sister-in-Christ shared that she was very insistent that Christmas is not to be spelt as X'mas. I concur with her. Christmas has absolutely nothing to do with Santa Claus, snow man or christmas tree for that matter. Jesus is the reason for the season. He came that we can have new life in Him. His humble birth in an animal stall was witnessed by poor shepherds who were watching their flocks on that glorious night. The bright and shiny star came to earth to bring light into our darkened lives. He came into this world to bring hope and everlasting life to all that believed in Him. Glory to God in the highest!
