Monday, December 16, 2013

Merry Christmas! Tis the Season...

My nativity made by a precious British lady
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help [cometh] from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumberBehold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD [is] thy keeper: the LORD [is] thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore. Psalm 121

Isn't this a wonderful Psalm? Look at all the fabulous promises from the Lord embedded in these scriptures--they are chock full of protection, provision, favor, and most importantly, love. Just think, all of this has been made available to us because of the Lord Jesus Christ and what He did for us on the cross. He left His place of glory with the heavenly Father and came down to earth in the form of a sinful man even though He never sinned. He was born as a baby and grew up like a normal Jewish boy, growing in favor with God and man. There was nothing spectacular about Him that would make anyone think He was Messiah - even His own parents couldn't imagine why, as a twelve-year-old boy, He would stay behind in Jerusalem after the Passover and debate scripture with the scribes and Pharisees. Prophets prohesized over Him as a baby, the angels heralded His birth, the wise men traveled far to pay Him homage, even King Herod sought to kill Him, but none of them really understood the purpose of His birth. The Bible says Mary pondered many of these things in her heart, but she couldn't discern their meaning, because they were spiritual truths that required revelation from the Holy Spirit.

And yet He was born, so that He could die and set all of us free from the bondage of the Law, sin, and death! Isaiah 9:6 says, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. The heavenly Father GAVE Him to us as our savior, our wonderful counselor, our God who brings us into the Father's presence -- the one who brings us shalom peace -- meaning nothing missing or broken in our lives. Yes, His resurrection from the dead is essential and powerful, but His incarnation as the baby Jesus is an important day as well. It shouldn't be overlooked as a day to rejoice! He came and He will come again! 

Merry Christmas! May you have shalom peace during this Christmas Season!