I love December.

I love everything about it (if I stay away from malls, television ads, and wear many layers).

I especially love how every year something that should never be in my periphery moves into full focus. I’m always a bit surprised that it hasn’t been there the whole time; always a bit ashamed that it has to move into a place of higher importance; always a bit sad when I realize what I’ve been missing.

Christ.

Christ comes into focus and I take it all in with big eyes like He might vanish. Though I know He won’t, I revel in the anticipation and wonder of this season because Christ as my focus means being living fully alive.

December reminds me I have an open invitation to sing with the angels and this song says it well,  Hark the Herald Angels Sing.

Have you unpacked these words, friends – these words that reclaim what we’ve been so cavalier about the rest of the year? These are the lines my heart is singing today. These are the melodies that come into focus and fill my December with gratitude, longing, and the most beautiful joy.

My favorite verses may not be what the carolers are singing at your door , but they are so deep and filled with wonder.

Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine.

Can you hear it? Can you hear the longing – Christ is the Desire of nations, the fulfillment to many, many years of longing, the salvation and only hope over evil? We are ruined by sin, but restored by His might and work on the cross. With Christ as my righteousness, I am now joined forever with my Savior!

Adam’s likeness, Lord, efface,
Stamp Thine image in its place:
Second Adam from above,
Reinstate us in Thy love.
Let us Thee, though lost, regain,
Thee, the Life, the inner man:
O, to all Thyself impart,
Formed in each believing heart.

There is a rumbling in my soul that bursts out in song and celebration proclaiming these truths! Everything that Adam failed to do as the first man, Christ accomplished with perfection. We are reinstated to a place where we have no right to stand. With a holy cry, I pray today that Christ’s image is stamped in place of my flesh – that all may hear and see and wonder at the mighty work of the Lord!

Sing, friends! Sing, today with the angels this song of praise and glorious joy!

let LOVE fly like cRaZy