Long Before

It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but now in these last days he has been revealed for your sake.
1st Peter 1:19-20 NLT

Christmas Eve... almost Christmas morning. On Christmas Eve eve, I listened as Amelia, one of my teenaged granddaughters, talked about the anticipation of Christmas morning and how hard it was/is to sleep. As "grownup" as she has become (she graduated from high school six months ago), I saw again the little girl in her who tried hard to be obedient and go to bed on Christmas Eve. I remembered her impassioned plea as a child, "Granna, how am I supposed to sleep?!?" And all the while, her parents needing the children to be asleep to finish their tasks for Christmas morning...

As I listened to Amelia on Sunday, I thought of Christ's words in Matthew 18 about becoming like little children... the anticipation, the adoration, the exuberance, the love; instead of adults who are caught up in the cares of the world and what we think must be done...

Oh, that we would be anticipating the coming of Christ like children anticipating Christmas morning! When we are celebrating the greatest gift ever! Chosen to be given to us long before the world began...

Prayer:

Father,
           I know that people the world over debate about Christmas. Forgive us for our finite thinking of what day or what season based on what calendar so much so that we lose sight of the Truth. The Truth that You did send Your Son to this world so through Him we might be saved. Thank You, Father. Thank You that long before we were ever born You loved us enough to send Jesus as our Christ, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. We pray Your will, Father, that all should come to repentance and that none perish. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen