The Perfect Gift

It was a pretty simple scene that first Christmas – a rough room, a young couple and nothing but a feeding trough to put the child in. It was probably quite cold and with family far away there was little help. Not exactly the Christmas Card  moment we like to show in Christmas pageants. This humble and rustic scene marked the greatest event in the history of mankind.

Jesus became human and came to earth to save us. God had promised to send a Messiah, one who would save His people. He could have easily burst on the scene as a full-grown man, a seven-foot warrior with fiery eyes and arms of steel. This was what many people were looking for, but it wasn’t how God did it. He arrived in the arms of a young girl. He was, as someone once said, “a very small package, wrapped in rags, given from the heart of God. The perfect gift.”

God gave His only Son to die in our place so that we, in all our brokenness, could know forgiveness. He came so that we could know what love feels like, real love – love that never leaves, love that never disappoints, love that is never betrayed. He sent His Son into a corrupted world to bring us hope.

So my friend, how are you doing this Christmas? Are you having a hard time finding hope in the world? Are you having a hard time finding peace? It doesn’t have to be that way. You can have peace and find hope and know forgiveness through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

May you my friend and the ones you love find peace, joy and hope this Christmas.

Here’s some real poetry in motion from the Piano Guys

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God With Us

Everyone loves a good story.  It’s Christmas and it’s an excellent time for a story.  This story isn’t new,  it’s a very old story.  You may have heard it several times before, but it’s worth telling again.  It’s the story of how Christmas began and the story of how God is always with us.  So let’s begin.

Once upon a time, in a land not so very far away there was a woman named Mary.  Mary, a virgin , was living in Galilee of Nazareth and was engaged to be married to Joseph, a Jewish carpenter. An angel visited her and explained to her that she would conceive a son by the power of the Holy Spirit. She would carry and give birth to this child and she would name him Jesus.

At first Mary was afraid and troubled by the angel’s words. Being a virgin, Mary questioned the angel, “How will this be?” The angel explained that the child would be God’s own Son and, therefore, “nothing is impossible with God.” Humbled and in awe, Mary believed the angel of the Lord and rejoiced in God her Savior.

We all know how the rest of the story goes but I want to pause here and focus on how Mary experienced God.  Amy Grant in her song Breath of Heaven (see video clip below), captures the humanity of Mary’s experience.

Breath of Heaven
Hold me together
Be forever near me
Breath of Heaven

Breath of Heaven
Lighten my darkness
Pour over me, your holiness
For your holy Breath of Heaven

Surely Mary also reflected with wonder on the words found in Isaiah 7:14 foretelling this event, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”

Here’s my reflection on Mary’s story, the beginning of the story of Christmas, and how God is with us in all our beginnings.

May God be with you and all those you love this Christmas.

Immanuel

God with us
Walk beside us today
Just like you walked with Mary
As she walked along her way

God with us
Hear our silent prayer
Just like you heard Mary
In between her fightened tears

God with us
Draw us close to you
Just like you did with Mary
Make our hearts brand new

God with us
In our hearts you dwell
Just like you were to Mary
Be Our Immanuel

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