The Christmas Gift

“‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with is.)” Matthew 1:23 ESV

As I held my candle up amidst tens of others in the darkened sanctuary of my church and sang the words "Silent night, holy night... all is calm, all is bright" at the Christmas Eve service held last night, I was overwhelmed to the point of tears at the enormity of how great a gift it was to be singing praises to the Savior alongside my sisters and brothers at a time when thousands of churches around the world are closed. But that gift, I thought later, completely paled in comparison to the gift the Lord was preparing to give the world on this very day over 2,000 years ago. It was a gift so big and so amazing that the world could hardly grasp it, yet so small that it could fit into the arms of a mother who had been anxiously awaiting the day we now celebrate as Christmas.

This gift of course was the Son of God born to a virgin and appropriately given the “name Immanuel” because of His choice to be born as a man and live among us. And to think that the greatest Gift you and I could ever receive came in the lowliest of ways reminds us that Jesus is truly “God with us,” - with us in the dirt, poverty and stench of a stable and with us now in the midst of a chaotic, disorderly and rebellious world, continuing to offer the gift of eternal life to anyone who would repent of their sins and accept it. Is that amazing or what?  

So above all else on this blessed day, let us celebrate the Gift we have received that was larger than the universe but small enough to fit in a manger... the Gift that forever changed the world. Merry Christmas!!! God is with us friends!! May that bring you peace today. 

Heavenly Father, thank You giving us your one and only Son who chose to live with us to give us the gift of eternal life that we didn’t deserve and could never earn on our own. Oh Lord if there is someone reading this that has never accepted this gift, I pray that today would be the day they would open their hearts and hands to accept it. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

God with us - All Sons and Daughters