^“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

Did you see when God chose us?  As we celebrate Jesus’ birth this month it is important for us to start at the beginning and the beginning is before God even spoke the words “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen. 1:1  Before the foundation of the world was set in place God had already chosen us in Christ Jesus and given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.  WOW!!  That blows my mind.  God chose before setting the world in place to send His Son knowing that the imperfect people He would make would need a Savior.  He chose Christmas, the celebration of Jesus’ birth from the beginning and He chose to make us holy and blameless through the death and resurrection of His Son.  It was and is His will.  Jesus chose this path as well and through His gift to us we are given the gift of forgiveness of all our sins.  What rich grace is lavished on us.  The great gift of salvation allows us to come before God not as servants or even friends, but as children through His adopting us.  Today as you consider the Baby placed in a manger, take time to thank God for choosing you as well.  If you have never admitted you are a sinner, believed that Christ is God’s Son, our Savior and confessed your sin or wrong doings to Christ do that today and receive the gift of salvation from God.  It has already been bought and paid for.  The miracle of Christmas is that because of what Christ did those who choose Him will live eternally united with God.  Wow, what a gift!