Protect the tree!
Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures.
John 10:9 NIV
I'm sure most of you have had to protect your Christmas tree before. Either from your children, your grandchildren or your pets.
That first Christmas with the triplets, we put our tree behind a baby gate. Two of the three girls were crawling...
The next year we kept the tree behind the baby gate and only put lights and ornaments on the top half! The girls were all walking and it felt pretty much like we were herding cats...
My sister Shelby is having her first Christmas with a little this year. He is so close to walking and he is working so hard to figure out how everything is put together.
So their Christmas tree sits safely in his playpen, where it is just out of reach, even when he's up on his tiptoes.
It has me thinking about the safety barriers we put in place for our kids. We don't give our kids access to the pokey needles, water in the base, fragile ornaments or electric cords.
It also has me thinking about that first Christmas. And how God could have sent his Son with barriers in place to keep Him safe. How God could have set up restricted access to his Son. How He already knew that giving us unbridled access to Jesus' would lead to death on a cross.
And yet, He allows us in. No. He urges us to come! It begins with a musical invitation for the shepherds. Then we hear about a star sent to lead the wisemen. And as an adult, Jesus himself tells us that He is the way!
I love seeing a little one test out their tiptoes. And it feels magical to see that extra reaching for something during the Christmas season. But for our lives in Christ, I'm glad tiptoes aren't required.
Gatlin and his tree, November 2023.
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