This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. - John 3:16-17 MSG

Heavenly Father, this time of year, this week in particular, the weight of this message—you giving your son to save a broken world—becomes both a burden and a blessing. Acknowledging that my own failures, my sin, necessitated this radical rescue plan is a heavy burden to carry. Yet it is a healthy burden as well. It is good and right for me to recognize my contribution of brokenness and darkness in order to humbly receive the gift of righteousness in Christ. I need to grasp the reality of the sacrifice that makes it possible for me to stand in right relationship with you, and then live the blessings of this whole and lasting life with gratitude. You gave your all; now it’s my turn. In your powerful name I pray, amen.