December is not the time of year for feeling hassled stressed or sad. This is a season of miracles; hope should abound at Christmas time!
The miracle of Christmas is that Christ loved us and was willing to give His life for us, even when we were without knowledge of Him. “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
Jesus is the Promised One! He is Emmanuel, “God with us.” The prophets spoke of His coming centuries before it happened: “But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” (Micah 5:2)
The Book of Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, and the last time God spoke to His people through prophecy until John the Baptist. For four hundred years, God was silent. This great silence was finally broken when Christ came. Silent no longer and ever present, He has promised not to leave or forsake us, and that is reason for hope!
“For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)
God has always had a plan. He made a promise, recorded in the book of Genesis, One was coming who would crush the head of the serpent. Isaiah prophesied Messiah would come. He had a perfect name for the mission he was given, Isaiah translated, “Yahweh is Salvation.” When God speaks, what He says He will do, He will do! “The zeal of the Lord of Host will perform this.” (Isaiah 9:7)
May our hearts heal, and His joy and peace be ours as we contemplate the wonder of God’s unfailing love. As Phillips Brooks said, “The silent skies are full of speech for those with ears to hear. The winds are whispering each to each and stars their sacred mission teach of faith and love. The sky can still remember it, the earliest Christmas morn…God reached down to take our hand and Christ the Lord was born.”
(Photo credit: © losw / Fotolia)
