We celebrate Christmas every year, hopefully focusing on the glory of God, celebrating His work on the cross, and His unmatchable amazing gift he bestowed on His people, the gift of eternal life. We celebrate by coming together with family, eating, or rather stuffing ourselves with delicious foods, and exchange gifts to show our love for each other.

But consider that first Christmas. While yes, God came down as man in the form of helpless baby, consider the other side. Jesus left His thrown. Jesus, who is continually praised and worshiped by the angels did the unthinkable. The interesting part of this story, is what makes it so factual. Who would think up such a thing? The Pharisees did not even see it. They were looking for a King to take over and make things better. A baby? A man who came to be slaughtered? Oh, no, no, no. That was unthinkable.

Would the President of the United States, or any president or king of another country step down from his or her office, their rightful place, and go live in the slums, get beaten unjustly, accused for wrongs they never committed, then die for people who hated them? It sounds ridiculous, but that is exactly what Jesus did. He did it because it was the only way. He did it because he not only loves us, he LIKES us. Think about THAT for a minute.

During this Christmas season, I encourage you to sit for a while in quite contemplating the story behind Christmas. Contemplate the horror and weight of the real story. The angels were rejoicing when baby Jesus came on the scene but had they known his plans I bet that verse would have exchanged rejoicing for weeping. Don’t get me wrong, what a GLORIOUS plan He fulfilled, but be sure it was a plan with such weight and such penetrating radical love that no human being would ever consider it plausible.

Thank you Jesus for your undefinable untouchable unchangeable love for us. You came to be with us, to live a life we never could and to die a death we deserve. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for healing us. Thank you for choosing us. Thank you for You!