12th Truth of Christmas- Emmanuel, God With Us

Here we are, ladies and gentlemen, the 12th and final truth that I am focusing on this Christmas. In my opinion, this truth is the epitome of Christmas, the one truth that stands out to me the most during this season.

"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel," which is translated, "God with us." (Matthew 1:23)

Emmanuel- God with us.

This is the very greatest truth of Christmas. This is also one of the most amazing truths of Christianity. We worship the True and Living God, Who sent His Only Son down to earth to live among us.

Down here on earth, among the filth, the suffering, and the sin, Jesus willingly came down to be a part of our world. He was born like any human baby; he ate, slept, and grew as a human. He felt pain, sorrow, and joy. He experienced physical life as one of us.

God could have just swept in with a mighty force and solved everything wrong in our broken world. But He didn't; instead, He chose to come and be among us. To feel what we feel, to see what we see. He took the time to understand us, and then He gave us a way to be rescued.

God is a relational God. He created human beings in His Image so that we might have fellowship with Him. In the Garden of Eden, God walked with Adam and Eve as their Friend. When sin entered into the world, that relationship and connection was broken. Jesus was the link that renewed that chain of connection.

I find it incredibly beautiful that God chose to reestablish relationship with mankind by being among us first, living as we do. The greatest way to earn someone's trust and friendship is to live life alongside them. To feel what they feel, to see what they see.

Did you read that story that was recently in the news about the barber and the little boy with autism? An autistic little boy did not want to get his hair cut, and the barber had already tried several times unsuccessfully to cut the child's hair. Finally, the barber decided to get down on the floor with the boy, who seemed more comfortable hanging out on the ground while playing with his father's phone. The barber got down on the boy's level, and cut his hair.

This story is a wonderful analogy of what God did for us. He didn't try to force His relationship on us, even though we desperately needed it, just like that little boy needed a haircut. Instead, God got down on our level and entered into our world.

I don't know about you, but I have a much easier time having faith and trust in a God Who understands where I am coming from. It is so encouraging to go through life and my faith knowing that Jesus has also felt everything that I experience, both the good and the bad.

The knowledge that God went to such lengths just to have a relationship with me thrills me to the core of my being. It fills me with joy to accept that gift of offered relationship and eternal life. God has proven His desire for relationship, and I count it a privilege to be called His friend.

God is so loving,  and He is so real. He knows us intimately. He knows our both our spiritual and our physical needs. He understands our frailty, and our fear. Whatever you are going through in your life, be it good, bad, or a bit of both, God understands.

This season we celebrate Emmanuel, who is God with us.

Thank you for joining me on this journey through 12 Truths of Christmas. This season, I pray that we may all choose joy. Let us embrace our peace on earth, and have goodwill towards men. I encourage you to be a Christmas light this year, lighting up our dark world. May we look for and appreciate the gifts in disguise. May we all look for the star.

Despite the craziness of this life, let us rest in the knowledge that we are right on time. Despite all the places where we feel inadequate, let us be ready for a Savior. I pray that we may discover the beauty in the stable. I pray that we would embrace the journey, and the surprises that come along the way. Let us celebrate the life that we have been given.

Merry Christmas, dear ones, may this season bring you light and life. Peace be with you in the name of Jesus our Redeemer, Amen.

2nd Truth of Christmas- Peace on Earth

Hundreds killed at a time in terrorist attacks. Girls kidnapped from their own school by radicals who see women as lesser than men. Bombs that can silence millions of beating hearts in a split second.

Countries divided, households divided, people divided, anger, pain, heartache....

...where is the peace?

Peace.

It's what so many people seek. For thousands of years, humans have looked in many different directions to try to find peace.

Attempts have been made to create utopia- perfection on earth. Most have failed miserably and ended only after even more suffering and death, all in the name of "peace".

This is the season where "peace on earth, goodwill toward men" is proclaimed more loudly than ever. But one look at the news, and it is tempting to feel like we are as far from that concept as we have ever been.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, an American poet, wrote a famous poem which asked this very question. It was Christmas Day in 1864, the Civil War still raging across America. Longfellow's own son had been wounded in battle. For years, American sons, husbands, fathers, and brothers were wounding and killing each other, their countrymen. If you were ever to feel that peace was no more, I believe that seeing your own people fight against each other would do the trick.

Longfellow puts into words the cry of millions of people.

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,

and wild and sweet

The words repeat

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along

The unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Till ringing, singing on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,

A voice, a chime,

A chant sublime

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

Then from each black, accursed mouth
The cannon thundered in the South,

And with the sound

The carols drowned

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

It was as if an earthquake rent
The hearth-stones of a continent,

And made forlorn

The households born

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;

"For hate is strong,

And mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The Wrong shall fail,

The Right prevail,

With peace on earth, good-will to men."

 But, how shall the Right prevail? From where do we find the peace on earth?

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulders. And his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6)

Christmas is the celebration of when the Prince of Peace came down to our violent and heart-wrenching world, and brought peace.

Peace; it does not come from us. It does not come from the things that we do. Peace can only come from Jesus. And He did not stay up in heaven where He was far away and unreachable. The Prince of Peace came down to where we are.

Where is the peace on earth? It is right here--in my heart--in the heart of every Christian on planet Earth. The Prince of Peace came down to be among us, and he still dwells here in the hearts of his people. And with the peace that dwells in our hearts, we may go out and bring "goodwill toward men".

Peace to you all this Christmas season.

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Just joining us? Catch up with the 1st Truth of Christmas!

Read the full story of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.

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