I’m soooooooo glad it’s Christmas!

No, I’m not crazy, or on mind-altering medication, and yes, LED lights still trigger an inexplicable hate response in me, but I’m thinking of getting help for that.

No matter where I am, no matter the good or bad in my circumstances, that calendar turns over to December 1st,  and a little bud of excitement begins to bloom again way down deep in the heart of the ‘real me’.   It blossoms repeatedly because of an unshakeable truth that is unreachable and untouchable by any stress, pressure, or disappointments of Christmas ‘want-to-dos’, ‘have-to-dos’, or ‘wish-I-hads’!

God loves me… perfectly, and unconditionally.

I often imagine Jesus standing on the edge of eternity and time; all-powerful, majestic, clothed in the fullness of being Almighty God, armies of angels at His command, myriads worshipping Him continuously, not needing anything from any of us, but knowing we needed everything from Him.  Our rebellion had lost us all that relationship with God was meant to be, except His perfect, unconditional love.

He knew.  Standing there in heaven’s dimension He knew exactly what His love for us would cost Him to pay the set penalty for our sin and make a way for us to get right with God and with each other.  He knew the suffering, shame, and humiliation He would endure from the same people He came to save, the continual and current rejection of His love, the prideful arrogance, the spectacular failures, even from those who believe and accept Him…yes… been there, done that.   He knew!  Yet still He came.

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!?!

“But God – so rich is He in His mercy! Because of and in order to satisfy the GREAT AND WONDERFUL AND INTENSE LOVE with which He loved us, even when we were dead, slain by our own shortcomings and trespasses, He made us alive together in fellowship and in union with Christ; He gave us the very life of Christ Himself, the same new life with which He quickened Him, for it is by grace; His favor and mercy which you did not deserve that you are saved, delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation.” Ephesians 2:4-5 Amplified Bible.  (caps mine)

This year our Christmas tree is decorated all in white and gold.  However, I insisted on placing a single red heart, right in the middle, to acknowledge and celebrate this great, wonderful, and intense love that moved Him to make that step from heaven’s indescribable glory, right into the middle of our hot mess.

One day (soon?), He is going to do it again!

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse.  And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True…And the armies of heaven, clothed in linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses…And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”  Revelation 19:1-16 New King James Version

Even so, come Lord Jesus!  Till then, … just living the thing!