The End is Only the Beginning

The stockings have been hung.

Children are wide-eyed with expectation.

Are you wide-eyed with expectation?

Because the end of the story is only the beginning.

When Christ came He came to crush death and crush it He did. He crushed that old serpents head clean off and there is a day coming when He will return and deal the final blow to sin and sickness and death shall be no more. Shadows will be no more.

This past week has found me longing for that time, heart sad and longing for all to be made new. I hear so many say that the events of this past week couldn't have happened at a worst time. I don't disagree, but I think if it had to happen...if this sin sick world had to convulse in such an ugly way then, why shouldn't it be right now? Right now in this moment when we turn tear stained cheeks and sorrow sad eyes to a manger, and a baby, and a world turned upside down and inside out by a God who drew near to our sorrow and grief. A God who entered into this hemorrhaging world as a baby and fought every second for our freedom.

In Christ, we are free. Ponder that a moment.
In Christ we, the children of the only rightful King, are free.
His righteousness hangs around our necks and covers all the ugliness and we are free and fearless and our fate is not left to chance. Our fate is left to a God who stands on either end of our lives, sees all, knows all and perseveres to call us His own.

This Advent do we dare to take Him at His Word? Do we dare to embrace the righteousness that is ours in Christ and live fear-free, anxiety free? If our belief is in  a baby then our faith will stay infantile, but if our belief is in a King who came as a baby, died as a sacrifice, rose as a victor and will come again as our Savior then there is nothing that man can do to us. Christmas isn't meant to keep us living small Christian lives believing in a tiny baby who coos and crows from a wooden cradle. Christmas, Advent, this Coming that points to His Coming Again and all that we are celebrating is meant to lead to a life lived big for a God who gave big. A God who gave His own son a ransom for many. We are the many. We are the ransomed who can shout out loud "in His name all oppression shall cease..."

I've been all too guilty of stopping at the baby with a sideways glance to the cross. The glory of God shown round about and that glory still shines from the star of Bethlehem, but that glory is only meant to cast a light on our need and illuminate the cross for our needy hearts. My prayer is that the hopes and fears of all our years would be met in Christ tonight, right now, and always. Christ the baby, the sacrifice, the victor and the Coming King.

I've loved sharing my heart for this Advent season these past 5 weeks. I hope you are thriving in the midst of it all. 
Taking Time
Capture It. Now.
Our Real Need This Christmas
Celebrate BIG!

Could you use a little more inspiration?
Maybe you don't want to be in the kitchen all day on Christmas...try this Apple Pie Breakfast or this Crockpot Egg Brunch Casserole.
If you're looking for some holiday tunes might I suggest a little She & Him?
Need just one more simple craft idea? Maybe a grouping of these yarn ornaments will do the trick!
Oh, and if all else fails grab a free Redbox code, rent a movie, order Chinese food, turn on the Christmas tree and relax.