Born to Die...and Still He Came

 From the moment Jesus was conceived and an actual being here on earth, His goal was to die.
Man is appointed once to die ( Hebrews 9:27-28   And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him) and from the moment we are all born, death is certain....(except in the event of Christ's return.)  Can we say death is our goal?  No, death is a 'later' thought.
  Jesus knew all along that His death was imminent, even planned since the beginning of time in heaven.  A death like no other....and still He came.  An innocent Baby, an innocent Child, an innocent Man.  And still He came...willingly, purposefully - yielded to a plan made by no man.
 What made Him do it?  Some things cannot be explained or grasped fully, at least by me.  I DO know that all the Father does is for His glory alone.  He is the Father.  He can do that.  Out of His mercy and loving kindness, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross, bearing the sins of believers past, present, and future.  It took the shedding of blood to remove our sins from us.(Ephesians 1:7-8 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight )
 I don't know if Christ was really born on December 25th, February 1st, or the 4th of July...it just doesn't matter.  What does matter is that He came.  He came to redeem lost souls - like me - that trust in Him.
 Jesus our Lord left the glories of Heaven in order to manifest the unfathomable love of God for man. He was born to die...and still He came.  That is why I celebrate Christmas....every day.  Won't you join me?

What Wondrous Love Is This

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,

What wondrous love is this, O my soul!

What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,

To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

American folk hymn

Thou who wast Rich Beyond All Splendor

Thou who wast rich beyond all splendor, all for love's sake becamest poor;

Thrones for a manger didst surrender, sapphire paved courts for stable floor.

Thou who was rich beyond all splendor, all for love's sake becamest poor.

Frank Houghton

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!