Each Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. He came as a baby into this world so that we could be saved from sin - from all evil, desperation, and despair. We play Christmas hymns, decorate Christmas trees, and buy lots of presents. But how often do we really stop to think about the reality of what this means for us? Do we really let ourselves think about the fact that God could have chosen to do things differently? That we get to serve a God who loves us so much that he would send his son into the world, in human form, simply because he wants to draw us to himself. If we really let that sink in and affect our daily lives, there's nothing that we can think or do or feel that doesn't relate back to it. Everything that happens to us can be brought back to the fact that God loves us and wants to be near to us. Every pain, hurt, or tear that we shed is not a coincidence and it's certainly not something that God doesn't know about. He's right there with us through all of it. He's feeling our hurts with us as if they were his own - and he's using them for our good. We know he can feel just the way that we feel because he put himself in our shoes and came down to walk the earth with us.

But it doesn't stop there. We won't always endure the pain and hurt that happens in this world. The bible tells us that He will return one day and when he does "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain." (Rev 21:4). This is one of my favorite scriptures in the bible. I'm just overwhelmed knowing that my God designed things this way. I cry a lot these days and I'm overcome with the sorrow of the world at times. Can you imagine if these things no longer existed? God can imagine it. In fact, he doesn't just imagine it; he promises it to us. That's the God we get to serve. What a privilege for us!