Immanuel. God with us. It’s a concept beyond our understanding. The Creator of the universe, the One who created all that is, and life itself, wants a relationship with each one of us. The One who is all powerful, self sufficient, and in need of nothing, created a people upon whom to lavish His attention and love. He wants to be with us. It is all by His grace.
God is all knowing. He knew the cost. Before He made the world, He knew people created with free-will would choose to rise up in rebellion against their Creator.
Yet, He proceeded. He created a beautiful Garden. He gave the first couple the Garden to tend. He walked among them in fellowship. But character cannot be imposed, it must be developed. So He gave them one restriction. They could eat from any tree in the Garden except one. As He knew they would, they chose to disobey. Sin entered the world. The relationship He wanted with His people was broken.
He continued His plan of redemption. Free-will is a precious and powerful gift. We had to learn how to use it wisely. He would allow our stumbling, our mistakes, and even our rebellion as He grew a distinctive people to receive the relationship He offered.
God gave other laws and commandments. We chose to break them. Broken laws expose our human nature. They reveal our inability to save ourselves. He sent prophets to remind us of His nature and His authority, and to teach us His ways. We ignored their counsel. Throughout history, the pattern was repeated. Human willfulness remained on display in every generation.
Then Jesus came. God in the flesh, born into the world in the most humble circumstances. He laid aside the glory and wonder of heaven and came to earth. He entered a damaged world and experienced the effects of sin. He understands our doubts, our fears, our weaknesses. He understands hunger, cold, and weariness. He understands encounters with difficult and demanding people. He knows what it is like to be tempted by Satan. He endured it all.
Jesus showed us what love looks like. He lived a perfect, sinless life, but took upon Himself the full force of a sin-deranged world. The world revealed the depth of its depravity by crucifying the One who came to rescue mankind. He Himself suffered the penalty for sin so the relationship could be restored. He died, and rose again, showing us He defeated death.
He exchanged our sinfulness for His righteousness, so we can live with Him forever. Those who recognize His payment for our sin, are freed from the penalty of it. He will one day return and remove the presence of sin. He will wipe away tears. Sorrow will disappear. Death will be no more.
In the meantime, those who believe in Him can live in hope. By His Spirit, He enables us to live above our circumstances. We don’t have to live under the power of sin. He is shaping a people who will choose obedience over rebellion, love over hate, and gratitude over grumbling. He wants us to choose His ways over our own selfishness.
Until he returns to destroy evil forever, He has promised to always be with us. Those who know Him, experience His presence. He exhilarates us in our triumphs. He strengthens us in our challenges. He encourages us in the midst of disappointment.
God with us. Now and forever. What an amazing gift. What an amazing Savior. Worship Him in the splendor of His holiness. Merry Christmas.
God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love–not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:9-10 NLT
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Blessings,
Phyllis
Copyright 2023 Phyllis L. Farringer
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