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| The Adoration of the Shepherds by Charles Le Brun (1619-1690) |
Merry Christmas! On this sacred day, Christmas invites us to pause amid the whirl of daily life. After weeks filled with preparation, joyful anticipation, and patient waiting through Advent, we finally arrive at this holy moment, the celebration of our Savior’s birth.
The world around us buzzes with activity: family gatherings, festive meals, exchanged messages, and constant movement. Yet, at the very heart of Christmas lies something profoundly quiet and still. God has drawn near to us in the most intimate way imaginable.
Christ Foretold by Prophets
The birth of Jesus fulfills a promise God whispered to His people across centuries. From the prophets of old, His children lived in hopeful expectation, trusting that light would pierce the deepest darkness, bringing salvation, and that God Himself would dwell among them.
Think of the words of Isaiah 7:14 NKJV: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel” (which means “God with us).”
Or the triumphant declaration in Isaiah 9:6 NKJV: “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
The prophet Micah foretold the place: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2 NKJV).
On that first Christmas, in a humble stable in tiny Bethlehem, that ancient hope took on flesh and blood.
The Love That Became Flesh
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14 NKJV).
This verse captures the breathtaking mystery of Christmas. The eternal God, who spoke the universe into being, did not stay distant or aloof. He entered our human story. He embraced vulnerability. He stepped into the ordinary, fragile, and the imperfect. Our Lord didn’t come with thunderous power or dazzling spectacle, but with gentle humility.
Picture the scene in Luke’s Gospel: Mary and Joseph, weary from travel, arrive in Bethlehem. There’s no room in the inn, so Jesus is born in a stable and laid in a manger. The manger is a feeding trough for animals. Surrounded by the simple sounds of the night and the lowly shepherds who come to worship, God reveals His boundless love, not through earthly dominance, but through the tender presence of His Son in the form of a human baby.
Love That Walks Beside Us
This love on Christmas isn’t a distant concept or a fleeting sentiment. It’s the living, breathing presence of God in the flesh. Jesus came to dwell among us, to walk our roads, share our joys and sorrows, and companion us through ordinary days, unanswered prayers, and quiet struggles.
His love doesn’t hurry us toward perfection. It doesn’t demand we muster up certain feelings to earn His love or perfection. It simply comes, patient and steadfast, like a faithful friend who sits with us in silence when words fail.
Receive the Gift of Christ
Christmas Day calls us first to receive before we strive to give back. To rest in His presence before rushing into action. Our faith begins not with our efforts for God, but with the wondrous truth of what God has done for us in sending His Son.
Christ has come. He’s stepped into our world, our personal stories, and our everyday lives. He arrives with mercy that covers our failures, gentleness that soothes our hearts, and grace that empowers our weakness. He brings light to chase away lingering shadows and hope to sustain us through long seasons of waiting.
Carry Christmas Forward
As this blessed day unfolds, perhaps with laughter around the tree, a shared meal, or quiet moments by the fire, we may linger in this truth. Let the surrounding noise fade for a while. Release the grip of expectations for a “perfect” holiday. Let the simple reality of God’s love be more than enough.
Love has come in the person of Jesus. And because of that, nothing in our lives, or in this world, will ever be the same again.
I’d like to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas, filled with the peace and joy of Emannuel, God with us.
God bless,
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