Today is the day when I celebrate God’s desire for a relationship with us. A desire for relationship so great that he was willing to put to death his own son – part of himself – to have it.

Since the beginning of time, since God created the universe and all that is in it, God has yearned for relationship with the people he created. Yet time after time, the people have turned away and chosen other things rather than the simplicity of loving and trusting God and walking with him. God offered love, we chose rules. he offered himself, we chose to listen to judges and kings. He offered relationship, we chose punishment. He offered life (remember, he’s God, so it’s his to offer), we chose all the things that led to death.

With all those rules so nicely spelled out and humans appointed to oversee us, one would have thought we could figure out how to live “correctly”. But no. We’re human, and we make mistakes – all the time.

When some humans figured that out, and started calling out for a Savior, God again replied. His reply was Jesus. Jesus came to earth, lived as one of us, and accepted the penalty that was rightfully ours. He took the rules, the people who stand between us and God, the punishment, and the death – all in our place so we would not have to experience them anymore. All we have to do is accept that it is that way. Just accept it – that’s all.

He’s there.  He wants relationship. What do you want?