Is God Still With You?

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” -John 1:14

Three days have passed since Christmas morning. I’m sure that sometime during the last 5 or 6 days you have read through or heard the story of Jesus birth in Bethlehem as captured so beautifully in Luke 2. As the time passes and we become more engaged in our day to day life again, the stresses begin to accumulate, the worries start up again and for some the message of Christmas begins to blur again for another 11 months. We need to make a stand against the temptation to slide back into our pre-Christmas routine. As foretold in Isaiah 7:14 “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.” Things are not the same.

His life was foretold by over 20 different people as far as 800 years before His birth. Everything from who His parents would be, where He would be born, what His life would stand for, His persecution, His death and His resurrection. Most historical figures and leaders lived a great life and then their story was captured and documented for the interest of educating the minds of the future. But He was not like other historical figures. Unlike any other person in the history of the world, Jesus Christ, was biography was written before He ever breathed His first breath.

God was with Adam in the Garden, with Moses on Mount Sinai and David in his battles. He was with many other individuals throughout the scriptures. He carried these hero’s and saints through their struggles, trials, hardships and their weakness’. God not only gave them insight through His authority and power on earth, He gave them the wisdom and confidence to know that He was always there for them, no matter what. Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac because he knew God would provide a lamb. David battled Goliath because he knew God would overcome. Job gave up everything he had and relied solely on God’s love and promise as disease and experiences near death came upon him. These are just a few examples of what happens when God is with someone.

Jesus means Immanuel, God With Us. This single statement was prophesied by Isaiah, and restated by the angel to Joseph in a dream. When God was with the saints of old, we saw how He protected, nurtured and cared for them. Through the birth of Jesus Christ, that exact power and blessing is available to all of us. He came to us because He knew we could not come to Him in our fleshy, sinful state. God’s desire is for us to be with Him for eternity, so He took it upon Himself to come to us, and walk side by side with us through this life to allow that reunion one day. He will carry us when we are weak, provide knowledge and insight into righteousness, convict us when we fall and set us back on a path of purpose for His kingdom. God is with us – that means you, me and everyone since Christ’ birth. It is upon us to seek His guidance and love. Some believe that this promise was only for those who walked with Jesus for those 33 years. This could not be farther from the truth. He promised us a comforter, counselor and teacher in the Holy Spirit to be with us always, until the day of His return. His death was not the end, but rather the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s promise. Immanuel, God is with us, lives on through His resurrection and continues to provide strength, love, security, comfort, help and wisdom if we only reach to Him.

Prayer:
Almighty God,
You came to us through a child, born in the humblest of settings to fulfill a promise for all of mankind. You promised to walk with us, guide us and be our strength, if we would only turn to trust You. We come before You Lord, seeking Your will in our lives, Your wisdom and Your love. Just as You carried the saints of old through their struggles and temptations, guide our steps in a path of righteousness as well. Help us to recognize Your control and will in our life. In Your name we pray - Amen



© Sondove Enterprises, 2018
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Enjoy the Lights

Read It, Learn It, Live It, Share It

 

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” – John 1:14

Christmas lights have always captured my childhood wonderment.  I drive home in the evenings and see the beauty of the lights on the rooftops and front lawns of homes and it brings a sense of warmth and joy.  There’s something about the colorful expression of individuals that invokes Christmas’ from my childhood.  I used to lie on the floor in my parent’s living room, staring at the lights on the Christmas tree, intentionally blurring my vision by looking cross-eyed and watching as the lights would seem to multiply.  Blinking colors of red, blue, green, amber and white with Bing Crosby Christmas album playing on the record player in the background and I would be lost in the magic of Christmas for the night.

Lights are nothing without the electricity that flows through them.  When the Christmas lights are unplugged at night they go back to the state of being dark because the essential element that heats the filament is missing.  The light bulb is simply a container of argon and nitrogen gas with a tungsten filament.  When the light switch is turned on, electricity flows through the filament and creates heat which is expressed through the illumination of the gases causing light to then fill the bulb.  This light then allows for the human eye to see in the darkness.

We read in John 1:1, the Word was God;  so in John 1:14 above, we discover that God became human through Jesus Christ, born to live amongst us and enable us to see the Father .  He filled the human form with His very essence so that His righteousness would shine to all that looked upon this man.  Jesus was 100% human, in that his physical form and needs were that of a man.  He required food, water and rest.  He communicated through the spoken word and showed emotions of love, anger, joy, compassion, fear and pain.   Yet, at the same time, God the Father dwelt in him during his 33 years on this earth in the physical form of man. 

We know that the slightest crack or broken filament in a light bulb will cause it to no longer illuminate the presence of electricity.  The slightest imperfection in Jesus life as a man would have brought an end to his ability to glorify God’s perfection.  We see him in the garden on the night he was betrayed, crying out to His Father to take this cup.  The enormity of the world’s sins bearing down upon his shoulders and the fragile human form felt the pressure.  Because God had become man within this form though, Jesus Christ was able to fulfill his purpose through his death and resurrection. 

The perfection of God is immutable.  Just as electricity fills light bulb, God’s perfection filled Jesus Christ and in doing so created the Light of the World, so that all mankind could see God’s presence.  As you observe the Christmas lights this season, take in the warmth, the glow and the beauty; but realize that they will go out in a month.  Look for the Light of the World in Jesus Christ and never be without light again.

Heavenly Father,
You have demonstrated to the world your love for mankind through the birth of the Christ child.  Each year we celebrate His birth in an attempt to draw closer to Him and thereby draw closer to You.  The gift You have provided to each of us on that original Christ-mas was the gift of salvation and eternity with You in heaven.  By giving of Your Son to take on the sins of the world, You have provided the sacrifice for our redemption, something we cannot do on our own.  Thank You for Your plan of salvation, Your grace, Your mercy and Your love; might we find a way to live within the fullness of all that You have given.   – Amen.
             

© Sondove Enterprises, 2010
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