Merry Christmas!

While there's not quite as much snow on the ground here in Denver as I imagined there would be, it still feels like Christmas :) It's been quite a year, full of surprises, laughter, sorrow, and blessings. God has shown Himself faithful as always. Amid the presents, lights, food, and fellowship, it's easy to get caught up in the things of Christmas. But as we celebrate this special day, let's take time to think about what God did and how incredible it really is.

At that time in history, God hadn't given any special revelation to His people for about 400 years. The Jews were living under Roman control and domination. The promises of the coming Messiah probably seemed almost mythical to some of the people. They went on with their sacrifices day after day, but nothing seemed to change. Then an angel came to Mary and told her the most incredible news: she was going to give birth to the Savior of all of humanity; Jesus, God wrapped in humanity. I can't even imagine what went through her head at that point. Not only was she having this baby, she was going to have it through completely supernatural means. The next several months must have been difficult. As we would today, I'm sure many people highly doubted that she was both pregnant and a virgin. I imagine Joseph took some heat and faced accusations as well.

Right around Mary's due date, they had to make a difficult journey to Bethlehem, a small town away from both Roman splendor and the Jewish religious leaders. The King of all the universe was born in about the most humble place imaginable: a smelly, dirty, cramped stable surrounded by animals. The only people who came to worship Him that night were some shepherds, dregs of the society in those days (the Magi wouldn't arrive for over a year). No trumpets or fanfare announced his arrival. But He would do what no one in thousands of years of history could: fulfill God's law perfectly, please Father in everything He did, and eventually subject Himself to the most torturous and cruel death practiced.

Why? What possessed Him to go through that when no one was less deserving than He? Because He loved you. He loved me. He left the glory and splendor and perfection of heaven and came here, where there's pain, grief, hunger, thirst, and death. The supreme Ruler became a servant. He looked out over the crowds and saw sheep without a shepherd. God created people to love Him and have fellowship with Him. Our sin destroys our relationship with the perfect and holy God. We can never ever be good enough. Left on our own, we all fall short and deserve nothing more or less than eternal judgment. But God (two of my favorite words in all of Scripture) took action. He became a man, went through the same kinds of temptation we go through, and overcame. He lived the perfect life we never could, died the death we deserved to die, and returned to life as all who put their faith in Him will one day do also.

God gave us the greatest gift in history. Let's be sure to thank Him for that and remember that no matter what situation you're in this Christmas, if you're in God's family, you're blessed beyond all imagination. Merry Christmas :)

Nate