For to Us a Child is Born - December 24

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7 (ESV)

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God is zealous to make himself known and worshipped by his creation. He longs to live in loving relationship with a holy people, set apart for himself. He spent hundreds of years revealing himself to the small nation of Israel. He wanted Israel to be his light to the rest of the world. He wanted to be everything to them: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; he was their Faithful Husband, Loving Savior, Forgiving Redeemer. He willingly took on the task of rescuing his wayward people, teaching them how to live righteously.

But Jesus came to earth not only to rescue the Jews, but to save the whole world. So determined was he to rescue us from our tragic circumstances that he gave up the glory of heaven to personally show us the way. First humbling himself to become a tiny baby, he went on to identify with us in baptism, temptations and sufferings. He lived a perfectly holy life as he went about teaching, preaching and healing his people. Finally, he became our sacrificial lamb, fulfilling in his life, death and resurrection all that the law, the prophets and the writings revealed about him.

On this Christmas Eve, let us remember the story of the God who leaves the glory of heaven to join us in our poverty at Bethlehem. Let us contemplate the story of a God whose love is so great and humility so profound that he will suffer and die to save his creation. Let us rejoice in the story of a God who comes in human form; who even united with our humanity has the power to overcome sin and Satan, returning from death to deliver the good news of love and forgiveness. Christmas is the story of Immanuel, God with us.

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Holy God, I praise your love and humility and your zeal to rescue me. Thank you Jesus for identifying with mankind in every way so that you could be my holy intercessor. Please help me to remember the story of Immanuel, the God who is with me, every day of my life. Glory to God in the highest! Amen.

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“Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.”