Let us adore Him!

Beautiful wreaths on the doors of Hodges Chapel at Samford.

I went searching on Tumblr and Pinterest for pictures for this post for a few days, but honestly, the pictures I've taken this season were the best. This isn't the case because I have some fancy camera or have amazing photography skills, but because God has shown his glory to me even in the midst of the most difficult parts of my year.

This year, more than ever before, I'm realizing the true gift that Christmas reminds us of. I don't think that you realize the heart wrenching impact of Jesus' birth until you've fully realized and received his utterly undeserved grace. I guess we don't understand the importance of something until we realize that we need it.

Jesus came to us in the absolute humblest way to show us that he understands it all. He was born in a barn. Not a Pinterest-y, chandeliered and decorated barn, but an actual Old McDonald, ee-i-ee-i-o barn. Then Jesus spent His first night in a manger – a feeding trough for animals! I don't care what circumstances you're under, that's rough. God, what a picture. The news of his birth was brought to and spread first by the shepherds, who in these times would have been the lowest men on the totem pole. The whole circumstance set up Jesus' existence on earth as our mediator to God. His whole existence served as a way for God to experience life as a human, as the most humblest of mankind, to show that He came for every one of us. He went through it all, blamelessly, to save us by His grace. To say He experienced everything. Every hardship. Every temptation. Every heartbreak.

"Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!"

                                                                      -Philippians 2:6-8

Our Savior lives. He came to bring us LIFE. Let us rejoice! Let us remember the real meaning of the season. Let us receive our sweet King!

Joy to the world, the Lord is Come!

Let earth receive her King!