Hope Of Christmas: Immanuel

Opening Thought: Often when things don’t seem to go right in this life, we start feeling like we’ve been left on our own. Pressures surround, troubles cling, we may be facing huge loss, or we find ourselves in long seasons of waiting. God’s timing seemed off during the 400-year gap between the OT and NT.

When God’s timing seems off, we start feeling alone, forgotten, defeated, filled with doubt.

? “If God was really with us, then why did that happen?”

? “If God was really with us, then why hasn’t He come through?”

? “If God was really with me, then why am I hurting?”

God never promised that our way would always be “easy,” or that His Presence with us meant a life of convenience or comfort. But He did promise this, over and over in His word: that He would be “with us” in it all, and would never leave us.

He alone holds the power to turn around any difficult season or loss we may be facing, and bring great blessing and good through it all …

Jesus Himself, while still in the womb, bumped along a difficult journey, all the way to Bethlehem. God didn’t spare Mary and Joseph from that long road of struggle, so close to the birth of Christ, even though the timing may have seemed bad to many. He didn’t provide a nice, comfortable inn, or lush surroundings for Jesus to be born in. But instead allowed His very own Son to take His first breaths in the humblest of surroundings.

Jesus came into this world in the darkness of night, when skies were black. Such a deep, symbolic picture of what He came to do. Light of hope ushered straight in, not when times were easy or bright, but when times were hard, when things seemed uncertain. There was struggle, there was constant unrest, there was weariness, and many felt unsettled.

Is it any wonder that His name would hold such Power? That He would be called, “… Emmanuel, which means, God with us.” The powerful Truth spoken through Isaiah the prophet 700 years before Jesus was even born is still so relevant and needed today.

This season of the year can remind us more than anything, that God made a way, to be right here "with us." Don’t ever doubt or fear that He’s not with you. He hasn’t lost control. He hasn’t forgotten you. Don't ever doubt that God doesn't know what He's doing, in this life, in the world. That's a lie straight from the enemy. What He's allowed in our lives, even the most difficult of things, He will use for good somehow.

As much as we can wish it were so, God doesn't always take us around our troubles. Sometimes

He leads us straight through. Into the darkness, into the fire, into the deep. But He's faithful ... to carry us through. His promise and assurance are that He will be with us when we go through the waters and the fire. His love, grace and protection surround us.

We're not meant to stay stuck in the trial. He won't let the hardships define us. For when we belong to Him, He's the only One who has the power to define our days. He breathes life and meaning. And He says we're set free, redeemed, He says He gives us a future and a hope.

We may not see it, we may not even be aware of His Presence on the toughest days. But He hasn't left us, not ever. We don’t have to be afraid of the storms, uncertainty of the future, or changing times. For He knows our way, He goes before us. He is pure light, shining greatness against skies of dark. He is "God with us," our Refuge and Strength, our Savior and Lord.

Christmas may mean different things to different people. But when we condense those meanings down to just to one simple truth, we always end up with four words. Over and over again. Four words. GOD IS WITH US. These four words changed history and they can change you too. And these four words have the power and beauty to change everything.

What is this hope of Christmas: EMMANUEL?

1. Building Bridges

? Challenging Bridges – DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

? Insecure Bridges – FEAR of UNKNOWN

? Broken/Burnt Bridges – BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS

God the Father sent His only son to build a bridge between man and Himself which our forefather burnt in the garden of Eden. Only one man could build it back because He alone has the power, structure and knowhow to complete it. It had to be made of the pure stuff, otherwise it would have the possibility to collapse again. Only ‘The Messiah’ had the potential to do it!