December 12, 

Happy Thursday. Today is my oldest child’s birthday. In some ways it doesn’t seem very long ago that our friends were waiting at the hospital with us to see the long awaited baby. Our little girl was beautiful, chubby and had a head full of hair and had an immediate roomful of admirers.Babies have such a way of bringing friends and family together. When Jesus was born, He was able to bring all sorts of people from opposite ends of life together and still today, 2,000 years later, He is still bringing the most unlikely of us together at His table. 


Usually at Christmas we read Luke’s accounting of the Christmas story. It’s rooted in historical facts—we tie it to reality (taxes, census, Agustus) and we like it like that. It’s easy to understand and we can relate to the characters.Mary and Joseph were real, normal people. The shepherds were just working people who were afraid when they saw angels (normal, right?) But when we read John’s accounting, we find it rooted in eternity. I don’t know about you, but that whole concept is much harder for me to wrap my brain around. The idea of eternity is hard. Always has been and always will be is a stretch for my small mind and tack on to that the spirit realm, you are way over my head. What i can understand is that no matter where or when it all began, Jesus was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, from the the start He knew what was coming.  


“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it...The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.” ‭‭John‬ ‭1:1-5, 9-10‬ NLT


I certainly don’t quite understand all that John was telling us when he places Jesus at the center of eternity but I do get the fact that only a salvation born in eternity can carry us into eternity. Since John’s testimony is in the first person, He is explaining he knows these these things because he was with Jesus. 


“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 ‭1:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬


“We have seen his glory…” And two verses later John says “we have received one gracious blessing after another.” So maybe that’s what John is telling us that Christmas is all about and has always been and always will be about—the glory of God and the gracious blessings He pours out on us all.  


Lord of Heaven, we want to see your glory and thank you for your unfailing love and faithfulness. You are light and life to all who come to you and we praise you and worship you with all that we are. Help us find peace in your presence and be calmed by your power. Help us find our home in you. Teach us Lord to trust you when we are restless and unsettled. Help us to find the cleft you carve out for us. We love you nd worship you today. Amen and amen. 


Love you dear one,

Pam


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