Immanuel.

December is passing through my fingers quicker than I can blog about it. But what I most desire to write about this month has to be written about very early on, so as to allow time to think upon the subject for the rest of the month.

December holds so much in it, there is so much to enjoy about this time of year. Peppermint mochas for instance, or scarves, the Christmas lights, the family, the sweets, the Charlie Brown Christmas Special. I mean really, the list could go on...

and on...

and on.

The list is so plentiful, so wonderful, that is slightly easy to lose a great opportunity in the midst of the holiday cheer. Of course by this time, some of you may be getting a hunch, you may think I'm going to start talking about Jesus and how on Christmas time we must remember the "Reason for the Season". Well, you are right. Remembrance is powerful, the Bible calls us again and again to remember, to think upon and meditate on. It would be great if we remembered the Lord daily, if we re-told His story to ourselves, to others, in our heads, in a song, in a journal, anything. But we have this little snippet of time at the end of the year, a month called December, and while there are the swirls of atheists protesting the Nativity or Christians protesting the Paganism of the season I can't help but notice the benefits: a 25-day stretch of the gospel being proclaimed through the shopping malls, on cards, on billboards, on every radio station possible!

"Long lay the world, in sin and error pining, 

till He appeared and the soul felt it's worth. 

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

 for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn..." 

There is something more beautiful than a house decked out in twinkling lights. Something more pleasant to gaze upon. There is something more wonderful than presents stuffed under an ornamented tree. And even more meaningful than spending extra time with your family (if you know me...you know that is a big statement). Because long ago, the Creator became the created. God, high and lofty, the One who stretches the heavens out like a garment, Who puts spirit in man, and is the Author of time, stepped into His story. He came in controversy: His mother being a young engaged woman not yet knowing a man making her womb His home. He came in humility: born in a  barn with a few animals as His greeting committee. He came in tribulation: a king seeking to put him to death for fear of His predicted future reign. The real quencher of all these (and many more) factors is that...HE CAME! 

You know, I have tried to write this blog about 3 to 5 times now, and each time I start I just end up staring at the screen. I'll get out a sentence and then backspace and start over. If there is one story I can't do justice to, it's this one. It's so beautiful, it's profound, and it sounds crazy! God became a baby - so that He could become a man- so that He could take us back to His Father, as the Repairer of the Breach. The Ultimate Missionary. God is saying so much about Himself as He put on human flesh.

Can you believe that the Lord of Hosts knows what it is like to be wrapped in swaddling clothes? Jesus was dependent on another for food, for shelter, for warmth, and protection. Transcendent and Perfect Light became confined to flesh and bones. What does this say about His humility? Do you believe He can relate to you in your pains, in your loneliness, in your vulnerability? How far will He reach for your friendship? Can we say again, "He doesn't know what it's like to be me?" when He is indeed Immanuel, God with us.

I could go on and on as I think out loud on this entry. My own questions and thoughts overflowing at the baby who has changed everything. A short blog on God Incarnate will never do, but then again someday we will stare at this Jewish Man, the firstborn from the dead, the Living Word of God, and we will wonder at His kindness, we will wonder at His humanity, we will rejoice over His willingness to chase down this wandering race.

My encouragement to you is to take advantage of this Holiday Season, to slowly, in your day-to-day activities think upon these things. Take a passage like John 1 and chew on it "In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was God...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." Maybe take "O Holy Night" or "O Come All Ye Faithful" and sing it over and over again until your heart starts to connect to the words in a deep and meaningful way. It is not a difficult thing, at least it is not meant to be. It doesn't even require you to sit long periods of time, the holiday's are busy, so take it with you. Sing as you shop, remember Him as you bake, it's all the same to Him; I just encourage you to not wait until Christmas Eve or Christmas morning, for the sake of knowing Him more and honoring His immeasurable humility.

The bonus? How does wonder filling your heart sound? Or how about thankfulness and knowing the love God has for you in a deeper way? Talk about presents!



Merry Christmas!