This Is Your Reminder to Let God Love You!

Hi, I'm John Lynch and this is John Lynch Speaks.

I was 18 years old, my parents had just moved back to Connecticut, so it was my first Christmas on my own. I was a student at Arizona State and my best friend, Jim Adams, his family called me up and asked me if I'd like to come be with them on Christmas Day. And I said, “Oh, yeah.” I mean, Mrs. Adams was a great cook and it was a win-win for me.

So I went on Christmas Day and I didn't bring anything. I'm a college student, I'm not even thinking that way. I get there and there's great food and we're eating and chatting and then eventually it's time to open presents. And this is so cool, I'll get to watch the Adams open their presents. I love them so much. I'm just hoping it'll be a great time for them and I'm full of anticipation. And they're opening their gifts and then suddenly one of them walks over and places a stack of presents into my lap. From each one of them. Beautiful gifts, gifts that said, “I know you.” Things that I would need at college. Mrs. Adams made me two shirts with her little initials stitched in the back. She made me two shirts. Beautiful gifts. And I'm sitting there on the floor in their living room and I don't know what to do. This has never happened to me before. To be surprised by such lavish love. 

I made a decision in that moment that changed everything. I said these words, “Um, hey, you guys. That's great. And listen, I've got some stuff for you too. And, uh, you know, and I'm going to…  Just give me a couple of minutes, I'm going to be right back. I’m, I'm, I just, I, yeah. I'll be, I'll be back. I'll be, um, you know, getting stuff there for… I mean, your gifts that I've prepared.” And I got in the car and I'm panicked. I go, “What do I do? What do I do? What do I do?” I went out and tried to find a store. I was going to get, I was going to spend all my money to get them something so special, each of them.

But in those days, if you remember, there were no stores open, just convenience stores. So there was a Circle K and I went in. And there's not much to get for people for Christmas there. I bought hair nets for someone. Hair nets. I bought Mrs. Adams some of those chocolate covered, waxy, cheap, convenience store cherries. I got a deck of cards for someone. I got Jim, my best friend, I got him some motor oil. I got Mr. Adams some cheap pipe tobacco. And I don't know what I did. I don't know if they had wrapping paper or what, but I got something, I wrapped it up. I bought some tape and I just kind of jammed them into little gifts and I got in my car and I headed back to be with the Adams. This is like an hour, hour and a half later now. And I come in the door, “Hey, hey, you guys! Here, they are here.” Just... “Alright, Merry Christmas, everybody. Okay, each of you, here's your gift. Hey, hey, hey.” And politely but so awkwardly, they opened my gifts. “Thank you, John. Thank you.”

Can you imagine? All they wanted, they probably thought about it for weeks and weeks, the surprise on my face, the delight on my face to be loved by them, because they loved me so much, and I did not know how to receive it. I have no memory, honestly, no memory of the next couple of hours. I'm sure eventually I just said, “Thank you, guys. It's been a great day.” And I went home. And now I think of it in my faith. That day, that very day, when this kid who didn't know how to receive a gift without bluffing and trying to drum up some trinkets. It takes endlessly more faith to receive God's lavish love than it does to try to prove your love to Him.

See, that's the challenge, isn't it? Every single day, all that He does for me and I can't prove anything back. I can't go out to a convenience store. Will I let Him love me? Do you know that that is the basis from which everything good happens, is me allowing Him to love me? Ephesians 2:8 For by grace, you've been saved through faith; and it's not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, so that nobody would boast. Again, it takes endlessly more faith to receive God's lavish love than it does to try to prove your love to Him. And I think that's why I'm making this piece today to remind us. Let Him love you. That's what He wants. Let Him see the joy in your face of receiving His love. It is from there that every good thing follows.

Thank you, guys. I am John Lynch and this is John Lynch Speaks.