this, this…is “christmas”

He has no stately form or majesty

That we should look upon Him

Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him

He was despised and forsaken of men

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief

And like one from whom men hide their face

He was despised and we did not esteem Him.

Surely our griefs He Himself bore,

And our sorrows He carried;

Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,

Smitten of God, and afflicted.

But, He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities;

The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him

And by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray,

Each of us has turned to his own way;

But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all

To fall on Him.

(Isaiah 53: 2-6)

And it is this Lord, this Savior, this Messiah , Jesus the Christ, who has taken my iniquities upon His shoulders to the cross, who has loved me, ransomed me back from the grave, given me eternal life by the work he did on the cross, giving up his life in place of mine, rising to new life, and asking me to partake of that life with him, forever, it is for Him that I celebrate today, now and forever. 

The day he came to earth, entered humanity, took on human form was only the beginning of more to come…

He has taken my guilt, my shame, my sin, my failings and paid the price so that I might approach a holy and just God without fear or trembling.

How can I not love Him?

How can I not give my entire life to Him?

How can I not trust Him?

Merry Christmas.