YOU are the reason for the season

Christians spend a lot of time reminding us at this time of year that "Jesus is the reason for the season."  It makes for a nice bumper sticker but the truth of the matter is that YOU are the reason for the season.  Now before you get all riled-up and threaten to burn me at the stake, hear me out.  As much as I'd like to claim credit for this statement, it's not original with me.  I heard Mark Price, Senior Pastor of Church on the Eastern Shore,  preach a message on this topic several years ago but he tells me it was not original with him, either.  Beyond that, I don't know who crafted the phrase but I do know Who crafted the idea.  (Hint: Who is capitalized.) The idea is articulated many times in scripture but no other passage is more familiar than John 3:16 which tells us that it was because of God's great love for YOU that He made a way for us to be reconciled to Him through the sacrifice of His Son.  So you see, if it weren't for God's desire for a relationship with YOU, there would have been no need for Jesus to be born, there would be no Christmas and thus YOU are the reason for the season. It all hinges on YOU.  Kinda cool, isn't it?  This whole big celebration every year is really all about YOU . . .YOU and a God who would rather have died than live without YOU.

Now that's something to celebrate!