“He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God. So, the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” John 1:10-14 NLT

John invites us to see the generous, gracious offer of God the Father and His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.

Reflection

• Imagine arriving at a place you built and created, only to be ignored or dismissed as a person non grata. This is what happened to Jesus.
• Consider coming to people you gave life to and loved deeply, only to be rejected by them. This is what happened to Jesus.

For most of us, this kind of dismissal or rejection would be more than enough reason to walk away and not look back. After all, they have made their choices, right?!

Not so with God the Father, God the Son, or God the Holy Spirit. Jesus keeps coming closer with the full, unfailing love and faithfulness of God.

What do we love?

We love our right to become anything we want. Personally, professionally, sexually, intellectually, spiritually, and financially, we have the right to do as we please.

Pleasure is better than pain. Comfort is preferred over sacrifice. Selfishness is prioritized over sharing. We want more stuff. We want to speak our mind and impose our will. We want power. And yet, when all these rights run their course, we are left wanting, empty, confused, and alone.

Jesus blows past all our rejection of him and comes closer still with a gift. It is a new right:
Belonging, Acceptance, Unconditional Love, and Identity: But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

Encouragement

Take a few minutes and reflect on the beauty that God keeps coming. He reaches past our dismissal of Him as creator. He draws close even when we reject our “made in the image of” family relationship with him. Our self-determined rights don’t stop His love from pursuing us with the gift (right) we are made for: to be fully loved, received, and accepted by God.

Jesus invites us to believe and follow him. This is all that is necessary to experience the one right we all long for.

– Ed McDowell, C.E.O.
Warm Beach Camp Ministries