Monday 23rd December

Oooh even Im starting to get excited now!!!   Yesterday Ben came bounding into the bedroom first thing shouting '' Mummy it's Christmas eve's eve's eve!''  He is bursting with excitement.  Josh is tearful and grumpy with excitement.  Sam is ever so slightly annoying with excitement .  Im not sure Keith realises its Christmas yet....  but then it isn't Christmas Eve until tomorrow.   That's when it dawns on most men isn't it?   Hee hee hee.

I watched the last episode of The Bible on channel 5 last night.  Which covered the crucifixion through to Revelation and really was pretty well done.  If you didnt see it this time round Id recommend you try to catch it online or bookmark it when its repeated.  It's good to see the word of God fleshed out by actors - they bring a new interpretation to well known words and stories and make you think about things in new ways.

One of the things which really struck me about last nights episode was the love Jesus showed at every opportunity.  The director opted to have Jesus kiss Peter on the forehead when he appeared in the upper room after His resurrection.  He showed Jesus thanking Simon for carrying His cross.  And at the end Jesus appeared bodily to John on Patmos and told him that there would be no more tears or sorrow or death in His kingdom.   It was a very loving moment between Jesus and John beautifully portrayed.  I was very struck by the fact that Jesus was primarily motivated by a huge and overwhelming love for people.  For us.  For me.

Sometimes we find it hard to believe we are loved.  Life has a way of persuading us otherwise.  But if we could only catch a glimpse of the look in Jesus' eyes as He watches and waits for us...... if we could only catch the tone of His voice as He speaks to us.....  if we could only stay still long enough to feel the warmth of His breath on our faces as He leans forward to kiss us....   well, then we would know that we know that we know that we are loved.

So this Christmas why not take a moment to stop and look into the face of Jesus.  Listen to what He has to say and open up to the hug of God.  There is nothing better in the whole world than knowing the favour and love of God.  And as we know so well  God loved the world so extravagantly and passionately and wonderfully that He gave His only Son as a love letter, a message of hope, an example of Godliness, a way out, a sacrifice for sins, a gateway into the presence of God, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have life wrapped up in the love of God forever and ever  ( paraphrase mine :-) )