Christmas Time Is Near: Advent Day 13 (Friday)

John 1:9-12  The true light that gives light  to everyone was coming into the world.   He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

Today's title was Wide Love.  The author spoke of the lowliness of the people to whom Jesus was born, to those who received his ministry.  It's still true today.  He says that we need only come as little children to him.  A child comes trusting, with no expectation of being hurt or harmed.  Not so  does the world who attends to them.

First hurts, lasting hurts often occur in childhood and yes, heaven help us, in churches.  Yet Christ sweeps through the boundaries of those who stand in judgement over others and casts out his net into the deep, just as he urged his fisherman to do.  Cast out into the deep and draw in nets filled to overflowing with the broken, the hurting, the pained, the forsaken, the lost, the lame and crippled, the blind, the deaf, the mute, the addicted, the ruined...the very least of all.

He came to me in the midst of my brokenness and depression, in the midst of my heartache and fears with a soul that felt sooty with blackness.  He is love as we too often fail to know it.  He says, "Come" and all we have to do is turn and follow him.  It truly is that simple.  He doesn't say "Clean up your act, get your life together and maybe I can see beyond your past."  He doesn't say, "You may come but I shall daily remind you of where you came from."  He simply says "Come."  He forgives all, and better yet he says "All is forgiven."  In His love, forgiven means "It never existed."  Only he can do that. Only he will.