Glory, Glory, Glory!

 Hello Bride of Christ,

Anyone feeling overwhelmed by Christmas day approaching? Let me be the first to admit, thinking about Christmas day brings all sort of emotions and typically overwhelmed is one of those. 

I know, I know, you are probably thinking I am overwhelmed because of all the gift shopping, decorating, parties, celebrations, and demands. Although partly true, this year I am overwhelmed with the greatness of the happening of Christmas. 

Jesus, my Savior, stepping down from His glory to put on this wretched flesh that I and you have the opportunity to experience eternal life!

Join me in John 17 verses 1-5 for me to share why this feeling of being overwhelmed is sparked. 

In these verses in John 17 Jesus is praying for Himself to Father God. Now if Jesus, God man, is praying about it I think it warrants some attention. Notice what Jesus prays, "Father, the hour has come, Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify you, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, the He should give eternal life to as many as you have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was."

Here in the garden of Gethsemane Jesus is talking with Father God only a couple of hours before His betrayal and eventual crucifixion, and Jesus goes back to the start of when He decided to obey God, give up His glory which He had before the world began, and come down to earth in the form of a babe, Christmas day. 

Starting from Christmas day Jesus glorified the Father, and even to this scene of Him on bended knee. Jesus gave up glory to give glory. In His giving He brought us eternal life. This eternal life is not merely the escape from an eternal death, but the opportunity to know the only true Father God and His Son Jesus Christ intimately! This know is deep and experiential. This know is not bound to heaven, but available each and everyday, since Christmas day. Before Christmas day God was confined to an ark, or behind a veil. No one was to enter His presence lest they be consumed by His holiness. 

You see, Bride of Christ, it wasn't until Christmas day that God was able to be touched and held by man, seen face to face by man, and commune with man. Jesus, God man, bridged the gap for us with Father God, one of the most glorifying acts even the angels recognized it on Christmas day, "Glory to God in the highest," they praised!

Overwhelmed seems to be fitting for this season. Overwhelmed with Jesus's love. Overwhelmed with God's gift. Overwhelmed with God's glory. Overwhelmed with gratitude and praise. It's with this overwhelmed heart I ask you to join me in saying the only words which seem to be fitting for Father God and our Savior, "Glory, Glory, Glory, to God be the Glory!"