Blessed by Christmas
I went to a favorite store to buy Christmas decorations. My attention was captured by exquisitely wrapped boxes in well-coordinated, majestic Christmas colors. So elegant were the boxes that I stopped to examine them. I reached out to size them as I admired the great art that was displayed. “I wish these were real gifts.” My heart murmured as I lifted them off the shelve and floor. All the boxes were empty. As I stood there for a moment, I could not help but think of the implication of Christmas to many. Like empty beautiful boxes, many people will be well adorned outwardly yet empty inwardly. Many will wear facile smiles yet inwardly, they will be broken. There will be those who will look so composed on the outside yet inwardly, they will be crumbled. Many neat outward complexions will camouflage inner bleeding wounds. Deep hurts will be masked. The inner emptiness in hearts will be covered by the flamboyancy of the season. The deep cries from within will be overshadowed by the festive mood of the season.
It does not have to be that way. It is for the inner condition of the heart that Christ was born. Right from the beginning, the angels proclaimed His birth saying, “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:23.
God created the first man, Adam and put him in the Garden of Eden. God’s desire was for man to go through life blessed and under the canopy of His presence. Adam sinned and forfeited his nearness to God. Again, God covenanted with Abraham, promising to make a great nation unto him. God held Abraham’s children close to Himself but with time, they drifted away as they got lured by the desires of the world and the nations that surrounded them. When they were held in bondage in Egypt, God delivered them with His outstretched hand. He led them on the way to the Promised Land as He encamped round about them with His cloudy pillar and pillar of fire. God’s children chose to depart from God’s great umbrella of protection and care. The farther man walked from God, the more miserable he became. Little did he know that in God all things hold and consist together. Life was meaningless and unfulfilling without God. Time only propagated the misery in the heart of man.
God, out of His love, reached down to rescue man. He sent His only begotten Son, born of a virgin, to take on the form of man and dwell on earth. This way, He would walk with man in every situation. He would be touched by the feelings of his infirmities and would help him accordingly. He would minister to man’s inner state and reconcile those who believed back to God. God chose to come to man in the form of a baby. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” Isaiah 9:6. Notice, the child was born, but a Son was given. This Son was God; who has neither beginning nor end. This is the Son who made all things and in whom all things hold together. God stepped from heaven to dwell with man. He is Emmanuel; God with us.
You will not make it in life without Emmanuel. Life will be empty and meaningless without Him. It is God who gives purpose and meaning to life. Without Him, your outward will be deceptively dressed but your heart will remain in turmoil. God gives life in its abundance to those who believe and follow Him in faith.
God desires to walk with you. He wants to hold your hand and lead you to abundant life. Notice, that Emmanuel, is just one of the names of this Son that was given to save man. He is also called, Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Allow Him to be wonderful to you. He will change your heart and circumstances and give you eternal life. The Wonderful God will inspire your life. He will make it pleasant, glorious, and delightful. Instead of life being a dread, God will give you purpose and you will be glad to follow Him each day.
Allow God to be your Counselor. Life has many bents and challenges; of which you cannot handle on your own. Look at His promise: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.” Psalm 32:8-10.
Allow Him to be your Mighty God. One who goes before you to fight your battles. This is His promise to you. “It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me. And that bringeth me forth from mine enemies: thou also hast lifted me up on high above them that rose up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.” 2 Samuel 22:48-49. Allow Him to set a table before you in the presence of your enemies. Allow God to speak to your heart the same message He spoke to His children while they served their slave masters in Egypt for over four hundred years. “And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey….” Exodus 3:7-8. God wants to break your bondage. Yes! The Mighty God has come to set you free!
Allow God to be your Everlasting Father. To those who receive Him, He gives them power to be called the sons of God. They are adopted into His family. They become heirs, co-heirs with His Son Jesus Christ. “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” Romans 8:13-17.
Allow God to be The Prince of Peace. The world is troubled on every side. Man is troubled from every angle. The heart of man is subjected to raging storms and turmoil day in day out. God is our Peace. He gives peace that surpasses all human understanding. Let you heart listen to His Word of comfort today: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27. Yes! You can cast all your cares on Him and pin your head peacefully and rest. He will forgive your sins, take away your burdens and flood your heart with peace. He will cleanse your heart and give you a conscience that fears and reverences Him. He will carry you.
Don’t miss your blessings at Christmas. Don’t be empty on the inside. Allow Emmanuel, Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace to fill your heart. These are your Christmas blessings.