God With Us
Recently in looking through some old photos I came across a picture from Christmas morning 1971. A laugh burst from my lips as I looked at that little girl standing in front of the family's aluminum tree adorned with glass balls and gold garland. This particular year Dolly Parton was an up and coming country star and deciding it would be great to look like her I requested a cowgirl outfit and a platinum blonde wig. In the photo it is evident from the smile on my face that I was happy about the gifts from that Christmas morning.
I have a vivid memory of the gifts from that Christmas, however, if I look back over my 45 years I can hardly remember any of the gifts that I have received. Those gifts that elicited such anticipation and excitement soon either became common place, worn out or broken and were ultimately discarded.
How thankful I am for the gift that is always new, that never breaks down and is always available to us-the gift God gave us in His Son, Jesus.
This season one particular portion of the story of Christ's birth has been in the forefront of my thoughts. It is the passage from Matthew when the angel spoke to Joseph in a dream confirming that the child which Mary was carrying was indeed conceived from the Holy Spirit and would be the Savior. Scripture says,
God with us!!! Even after being a Christian 37 years the thought of this still just knocks my socks off! One of my favorite verses tells us that "If God is for us, who can be against us?" It has always been exciting for me to realize that God is for me. He is cheering me on and desiring that I am victorious in my walk with Him just like a loving parent cheers their child on from the stands at a ballgame He even tells me that even His plans are for me (Jer 29:11). God, however is not only for us, He is with us. We don't have to go it alone. He didn't just leave us out there by ourselves and tell us to do the best we can. He is with us when we have lost a loved one to death, when we get bad news from the doctor, when we don't know how we are going to make the next month's mortgage payment, when we struggle with loneliness or insecurity. He is with us when we don't know what decision to make, when we face temptation, struggle with a sin issue or our marriage seems to be falling apart.
The fullness of God took a covering of earthly flesh and came down to us that first Christmas morning in the form of a baby in a manager. That baby became a man and suffered, bled and died on a cross as a sacrifice for our sins so that we could receive the gift of eternal life. He was buried and three days later arose from the grave in victory! God came to be with us so that if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior then we can be with Him for all eternity.
This Christmas you and I will give and receive many gifts, yet in the midst of it all let's focus on the greatest gift ever given- Jesus Christ- Immanuel, God with us!!
I have a vivid memory of the gifts from that Christmas, however, if I look back over my 45 years I can hardly remember any of the gifts that I have received. Those gifts that elicited such anticipation and excitement soon either became common place, worn out or broken and were ultimately discarded.
How thankful I am for the gift that is always new, that never breaks down and is always available to us-the gift God gave us in His Son, Jesus.
This season one particular portion of the story of Christ's birth has been in the forefront of my thoughts. It is the passage from Matthew when the angel spoke to Joseph in a dream confirming that the child which Mary was carrying was indeed conceived from the Holy Spirit and would be the Savior. Scripture says,
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "God with us"). Matthew 1:23
God with us!!! Even after being a Christian 37 years the thought of this still just knocks my socks off! One of my favorite verses tells us that "If God is for us, who can be against us?" It has always been exciting for me to realize that God is for me. He is cheering me on and desiring that I am victorious in my walk with Him just like a loving parent cheers their child on from the stands at a ballgame He even tells me that even His plans are for me (Jer 29:11). God, however is not only for us, He is with us. We don't have to go it alone. He didn't just leave us out there by ourselves and tell us to do the best we can. He is with us when we have lost a loved one to death, when we get bad news from the doctor, when we don't know how we are going to make the next month's mortgage payment, when we struggle with loneliness or insecurity. He is with us when we don't know what decision to make, when we face temptation, struggle with a sin issue or our marriage seems to be falling apart.
The fullness of God took a covering of earthly flesh and came down to us that first Christmas morning in the form of a baby in a manager. That baby became a man and suffered, bled and died on a cross as a sacrifice for our sins so that we could receive the gift of eternal life. He was buried and three days later arose from the grave in victory! God came to be with us so that if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior then we can be with Him for all eternity.
This Christmas you and I will give and receive many gifts, yet in the midst of it all let's focus on the greatest gift ever given- Jesus Christ- Immanuel, God with us!!
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