First Week of Advent

Today is the first Sunday of the Advent season. I love Advent as it helps me to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. With all the advertisements, sales, and hustle of Christmas it is necessary to take a step back and remember what we are celebrating.

We are not celebrating being able to get a $25 toy for $15, or the fact that we have the most christmas presents under the tree. We are not celebrating the fact that our tree is the prettiest or that we have the nicest decorations. We are celebrating the birth of a Savior. What does that really mean? When one sits down and ponder this it can do nothing less than humble a greedy heart. God, the creator of the Universe, the all knowing, all mighty King of the ages humbled himself and became lower than a servant, and why? To save this broken sinful world, and why? Because he loves us. C.S Lewis once said that if it is hard for you to understand what it was like for the God of all creation to come and be a man think about what it would be for you to give up everything you have and become a slug, only worse!

Jesus Christ, the God of everything was born as a baby, he nursed, wore diapers, cried at night, cut teeth, learned to walk, fell and skinned his knee, had bumps and bruises, learned to talk, learned to feed himself, dress himself, he grew in wisdom and knowledge. On that blessed Christmas morning the God of the universe put his life into the hands of two teenagers. He trusted them to care for his every need. He allowed human hands to dictate what he did. He gave up all his power and glory to be born into a sinful world, and then in the end die for this world. Take a minute to ponder what this really means. Christmas is so much more than most people allow it to be. Christmas is the beginning of the greatest story ever told.

The song I have posted on here is a great song of worship. Here are the lyrics.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God, the Just, is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there! The risen Lamb
My perfect, spotless, Righteousness
The Great unchangeable I AM
The King of Glory and of Grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased by His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Savior and my God
With Christ my Savior and my God