“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1a

Earlier today, I had a to give a service man my email address and after I gave him the first part, “daughter of the king,” he commented that he really liked it.  My first thought was this man may be a Christian.  Then, he said my dad must feel proud of me calling him a king.  He was thinking of an earthly father.  My King, however, in my heavenly Father and he actually does rule the world!!

What a wonderful thought that the King of the universe is also my daddy!  It’s so humbling to ponder how this could be.  Especially, since I am no princess deserving of such an honor.  This privileged position is mine because of His great love for me.  It’s not only for me, but for all who would believe in His Son who came into this world to save sinners like you and me.  Christmas is about celebrating the Christ-child whom was full of power and deity yet veiled in human form to take on the punishment the human race incurred since Adam and Eve.  As we think about what this Christmas will mean to us, we may be consumed with the gifts we are able to get for others or on what we cannot afford to give.  Or we may dwell on the time we will spend with our loved ones, or the time we may not get to spend with them.  Depending on our circumstances these ponderings may leave us feeling joyful, melancholy or all over the map.  However, let us set our hearts on what Christmas truly means every year, every day and for the rest of eternity.  Do we think about how we will celebrate Christmas perfectly everyday in heaven?

In this life, seasons are ever changing, years pass us by, people may come and go.  Greek philosopher Heraclitus observed that, “nothing is more constant than change.”  Our location, friends, job, and title may change from one year to the next.  Yet if we are in Christ, we are His children forever and that will never change.  “My primary identity is, I’m loved by my Savior.  That is where I have to find everything I am.” (Elyse Fitzpatrick) No matter what this life throws at me, I can be content, yes even joyful without apologies; because I am ever loved by my Father.  When life hurts, disease prevails, things don’t go as planned or others misunderstand us; we can rest in knowing that our Savior understands humiliation, betrayal, pain, suffering and even death beyond anything we will ever have to experience.  He is on our side interceding on our behalf and working sanctification in our lives and others around us.   We have direct access to the throne of grace based on the finished work of Jesus on the cross.  What an impossible riddle to figure out why God would come down to earth to die for us… Why he would so passionately love such rebels and lawbreakers and make us His holy children to bear His name for all eternity.

Majestic Father and King, you are enthroned on high and seated in heavenly glory.  You need nothing of us.  How is it that you would set eyes on us while we lurked around naked trying to hide from your holy wrath? How are you able to love us to such heights and depths?  We are amazed and overwhelmed by your great love for us.  Yet at times we lose sight, when either everything seems to fall apart, or all is just functioning as normal.  Lord forgive us for falling prey to the mundaneness of life even with season such as Christmas.  Forgive us for our familiarity of the cross.  Thank you for coming into the world to save us!  Fill us with joy that would overflow to those around us.  May you keep your gospel light burning bright within our hearts and be that which catches the gaze of others around us. In Jesus’ name.