And so here we are again, at the end of a long year, symbolic of so many journeys in our lives. And here we are again, celebrating the advent of the much-promised Life. And here we are again, refreshed by the birth of God’s own Life in our midst, hopeful yet that revolution is still possible, even if we know the story of how this celebrated Life is one day going to be meekly, humbly, perhaps vainly, even mysteriously sacrificed.

For we know, even if we sometimes don’t dare believe it, that the sacrifice is only the beginning of the Story of how God chose to give us Life. And what a Life! Not just any merely humanly bountiful life, but His own special Life, a life marked by eternity.

So, this Christmas, may that recklessly given Life drench your thirsty soul and may that Life become born again in you. And this coming New Year, may that Life become yours, in all the fullness and depth and joy and abundance that comes with it – the abundant trials and rejoicings, the deeply worked change toward selfless love and away from self-seeking sin, the full (even overfull) challenges and perplexing faith journeys and the peace of living with mysteries, the humility of learning how to truly live with one another, the joys of serving and loving, and, above all, the prize beyond comprehension: the growing closeness with our living King and Lord Jesus as you serve Him and His Kingdom around you.

May you walk this coming year in the reckless grace and peace of His Journey.