Friday, December 10, 2010

Save a Life, Love like Christ

I love Christmas. I love that our God gave us the real meaning of it – the birth of our Savior. A baby boy.  My Savior.

When I try to imagine “how wide, how long, how deep his love is,” as it is said in Ephesians 3:18 that God’s people should understand, I just can’t. I think, and furrow my brows. My eyes dart as I try to picture it. I take a breath and sigh, because the idea that God Himself would come to this Earth, humbly, and live out life as a human. That's too much. And then He chose to die, for me.

I can conjure up an image of Mary giving birth in a cave stable, where the birth of Jesus is believed to happen. I can see Him working hard as a carpenter.  I think I can see Him laying hands and healing. But His love for me, when I really try to understand it, I don’t understand. Yet I know it’s true, faithful. And I am so grateful.

His love, I cannot grasp, even though it holds me together.

When I rest in prayer and ponder it, I love it.

So, shouldn’t I do something to spread that love? Weren’t we given the Great Commission. But how?

Here’s one way. Use the connections the ministry Compassion International offers. Yes, Compassion, the global child sponsorship organization.

As we skate toward Dec. 25, wrapping paper scraps littering carpets, and Christmas music playing around us, I would like to offer you an idea.

Before you decide on your gift for that person who is blessed to have so-called everything, would you also please buy a gift for someone who has almost nothing?

Compassion International offers a gift catalog. Shopping online is easy and convenient. Yes, we can shop online even for someone who lives 7,000 miles away on a continent and in a country where you cannot even picture the lifestyle or culture.


In a country plagued with malaria mosquito nets save lives.
Maybe you want to give money for a cow that could be used for milk to sustain a family, and generate income.
Want to help with beauty, mechanic, or bakery career training?
A soccer ball?
Other choices?

Here’s the link again:

It brings tears to my eyes that I long for a home with more space, while Compassion lists toilet stalls, water and water filters – as Christmas gifts. But oh, how Christ-like to give something like that. I pray blessings on those who do. How kind. What a good way to let that indescribable love help with critical needs.

Consider what moves your heart. Here’s what I chose and why: With each of our children, I’ve watched as doctors or medics tended to them in truly life-threatening situations.

I want to protect a child. Actually, God’s way better at that than I am. And I want God to use me to shelter a mother from at least one thing she has to fear. I am blessed to be a blessing. So, I chose to pay for a vaccine.

What will you choose? Please, please help today. And thanks! Way to love!



©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved.

3 comments:

  1. Please let me know if and what you decided to give. I would love, love, love to hear your stories!

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  2. Great blog post! Our family is going to look through the catalog and choose a gift or two to give as a family. I am so glad to see so many bloggers spreading the word about Compassion International. What a GREAT organization!

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  3. Thank you so much, Michelle! What a precious thing to do. God bless you with all spiritual blessings in Christ!

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