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O Come let us adore Him

Christmas. The time for Christians to spread the real reason for the season, and anticipate the second coming. The time to be laser focused on Jesus. Here I sit, writing my first blog in a while. I have let myself get distracted by the world, as I do sometimes. This Christmas has been very different for me. I haven't been in the spirit of Christmas this year. At least not the secular one that I'm usually in. Enjoying Christmas movies, and songs, and decorations. None of those things have made my heart joyful this year. I think it's because of the things God has been showing me. The real Christmas story.
You see, God has been showing me a lot, through sermons, prayer, and His word. I have been reading in Leviticus. This is my first time reading in Leviticus, and I have been properly warned. It is one of the more tedious books in the bible, and leaves people wanting to pull their hair out at the monotony of it. I am sure this won't be a shared view, but I'm rather enjoying it. Let me explain.
There is a price to be paid for sin. Every sin. No matter how small, the price is death. I think it's important to see what every sin costs. I feel like if you can't understand the amount owed, then how can you appreciate someone paying the price?  How can you fully appreciate Christmas? Every sin puts distance between us and God. Jesus reconciles us back to God.
It was explained to me like this, you and Jesus take the same test. You fail. Miserably. He aces the test. Perfect score. Then He puts your name on His paper to be turned in to the almighty Father. We love that right? He is the atonement forever. The spotless lamb. The perfect covering. Let's not forget about your test though. That didn't go into the trash. It didn't just disappear. Jesus' name went on your test. He took the punishment for your failing. Reread Leviticus. Even the unintentional sins have a price. And Jesus paid it ALL. Think about that for a minute. Let's just sit and reflect on our day. Did you sin? How many times do you think you sinned today? Each one costs your life. Only sinned once? Payment still death.
God so loved the world...Jesus was always the plan. Take it back to Genesis 3:15 'I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise you head, and you shall bruise his heel.' Page 2 Jesus is mentioned. I used to think Jesus was the last resort because we weren't listening to God, and we were frustrating Him. Now I see Jesus was the only resort. From the beginning. That changes Christmas for me.
Christmas is when a prophecy was set into motion. Our savior was born. So now we wait for the second coming, but in the waiting, I'm finally starting to appreciate the first.
Christmas has it's distractions of course, and sometimes it's hard to settle down and really let it sink in that God came in the flesh, to save us.
He filled the world with light, when He filled the manger with His perfect love.

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