Getting out of bed

This morning when I woke up I was so toasty and warm all tucked up in my blankets. I could feel how cold it was outside of that cocoon by the chill on the end of my nose. As I lay there working up the desire and energy to get out of bed and face the cold I knew awaited me; I hesitated. Why would I want to leave a snugly warm environment, for the cold harsh world which would exacerbate the pain in my joints?

As I wrestled with the whole "putting my toes out of bed" I kept thinking of how Christ left heaven for me. He left a place where He was one with the Father, a place where He had been forever to come to a cold and bitter life. And He did it simply because He loves me.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1: 1,2,14 New International Version

Try as I might, I cannot really understand the depth of a love that would cause even Christ to leave the perfection that is heaven to come to earth. A place that would bring Him pain, humility, the agony of His own not recognizing Him, and the final degradation of submitting Himself to die for sin someone else committed. Knowing that He loves me beyond what I can understand is what gives me a reason to get out of bed. It is what makes me want to show His love to others. It is what keeps me longing for the day when I will join Him in heaven.

Not understanding the gift, but grateful all the same,

jené