Life is simple; only the application is complicated. For example, let’s take the question, “What separates us from God?” And its cousin question, “What binds us to the earth?” In Pascal’s uncompleted work, The Pensées, he writes, “Pride separates us from God; sensuality binds us to the earth.” This great 17^th century mind cuts right to the point. If you want to be separated from God, grow yourself an ego, become self-dependent, and treat God as though He does not exist. If you want to be chained to earth so your spirit never soars and enjoys the heights of imagination that can only be fired by faith, then give yourself over to satisfying every sensual inclination you have. 

Let’s take a moment to reverse his thought. Humble yourself under God’s mighty hand, and let Him exalt you to heaven-bound spaces. Deny yourself and live, really live, free from earth-dominated reasoning, results and live with eternity burning in your heart. 

Here’s what we celebrate at Christmas time—the Jesus Example; humble and bound to heaven, obedient and launched out of the bowels of hell. 

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honor and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:6-10 NLT