Drawing from Ephesians chapters 1 and 2, we're reminded of a sobering truth: we were once dead in our trespasses and sins, enemies of God, marching on the opposite side of the battlefield. But then comes those transformative words—'But God.' Rich in mercy and overflowing with unlimited love, God made us alive together with Christ. This isn't a conditional gift with strings attached, like a timeshare presentation that promises something free but demands hours of our time. No, this is grace in its purest form—unearned, undeserved, and freely given. We cannot work our way into God's favor, nor can we boast about our salvation. It's entirely His doing. The challenge before us is to remember this hope, especially during the Christmas season when we can get caught up in traditions and busyness. When we truly grasp that we've been transformed from strangers without hope to heirs with Christ, sealed by the Holy Spirit, it should revolutionize how we live. We're called to be unbound from shame, to live as people who have been freed, and to share this hope with others through our actions and compassion. This Advent season, let's not just celebrate Christ's birth as a historical event, but as the initiation of the hope that changes everything.