Hi there child of the King!

Hi there child of the King!

Well, it's only a few days away from Christmas. And I hope that in the midst of all of the Christmas-ing you've really had an opportunity to sit and ponder the incredible event of love that we're celebrating. God loves you with a love that would knock you to your knees if you could experience it fully, friend. That's why He came to earth.

I share this YouTube video every year, but it both makes my heart sing and reminds me of what's true. It's Linus telling us about the true meaning of Christmas from The Charlie Brown Christmas, and I hope it speaks to you like it does to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKk9rv2hUfA

May your soul feel its worth this week, and this Christmas season, much-loved one.

Have a merry, merry Christmas!

Christopher

Here's this week's devo (well, column):

Heartfelt Christmas

Recently I've been walking one of my closest friends through a massive "I-feel-like-I've-been-kicked-in-the-gut" heartbreak. She's one of the most wonderful, captivating people I know-she's winsome, she's witty, she's kind. She sees life in this amazingly beautiful way, and my life is so much richer by her view of things. She absolutely adored this boy, but yet, to the shock of us all, after a few months shy of a year, he chose to walk away. My theory is that he missed really, truly seeing her heart. Sure, they talked and spent time together, but he didn't have the ability to see the depth of her, the beauty, the richness. He just missed her.

And it has shaken her to her core. We've spent hours and hours grieving. She says that the ache feels like a black hole that threatens to swallow her up, and that it is, at times, almost unbearable. It has been tough for her to get out of bed and face each day. While walking her through this I've become convinced that putting your heart out there for someone that you love and having that person reject you is the worst ache ever.

But keeping in step with her sweet personality, while my friend's grief is dark and sad and mournful, it has cast a beautiful light on Christmas. It has helped me see Christmas in an entirely new way.

When Jesus came to earth, the God of the universe put Himself out there. He made Himself vulnerable to our rejection. His arrival and His life on earth announced to the world: "Here I am. This is Me. This is My heart. This is what moves Me to tears, what lights Me up with passion, what motivates Me to My core. I am here because I love you. Deeply. Will you love Me?"

It's true that God's arrival on earth was a much-needed rescue. His death and resurrection was our only hope against the curse of death that our sin had placed us under. It's true that Jesus came to show us who God is and what He's like. And it's true that Jesus' arrival on earth was an invasion of the rightful King against the un-kingdom. It was all of those things. But it was also a gesture of complete vulnerability motivated by a deep, deep love. In a way, Jesus coming to earth was God making this statement: "I am God. Here's My heart. And I'm hoping that you will love Me."

What a great risk! God the all-powerful, God the invincible, made Himself vulnerable. His great love for us couldn't keep Him away. The more deeply He loves us, the more He opens Himself up for rejection. And people do reject Him-He feels all that my friend has been feeling, and far more because His love is so infinite. Yet He pressed on and came anyway-for those of us that would turn toward Him, those of us who would say yes. What a fearless, relentless pursuit.

My prayer is that this Christmas, you'll get a clearer glimpse of the deep, deep love that God has for you. My prayer is that His love for you will sink down into your heart-into those empty places where no other love can reach. Because God's love for you is an I'm-coming-after-you love. It's a nothing-will-keep-me-from-you love. It's never-ending, soul-transforming, wound-healing, insecurity-melting love. The God of the universe who is completely whole in and of Himself and who has no need for anything, put His heart on the line for you. He came after you. He pressed through all obstacles. Because you are that worth it to Him.