It's all right now.

The child is a mess; a flood of tears, gasping for breath between sobs. "I want my Mom," the words wheeze out in little spasms of physical emotion. When Mom shows up, she takes the little one in her arms, gathering her close, and her soothing words, "it's all right now, Mommy's here," spread like a salve, healing the broken heart of that child. In a moment's time, terror gives way to peace - 'cause Mom is there. It's a magical scene!

Think of me what you will, there are times in my life when nothing except God's loving arms can comfort me! Challenges, disappointments, even weariness overwhelm me. "When can I meet God?" is the prayer of my heart. When a break comes, I find a quiet corner where I close my eyes in prayer, "LORD, I need You!" is the only prayer I can manage. The Holy Spirit embraces me - and in my spirit I hear the Voice of God say, "it's all right now!" Sometimes as I sense the Spirit's Presence, I cannot hold back the tears, as the emotions that have been bottled up spill over the dam in my heart. There was a time when I was ashamed of those tears, fearing that they were a sign of weakness in me, but now I understand that they are a language that God understands. Jesus wept, too!

The message of Christmas is that God is near- "Emmanuel, God with us!" The Gospel writers make it abundantly clear that He is not just God for the 'together,' the rich, the beautiful, the brave, or the intelligent. Jesus, the Christ, is the God of the little, the forgotten, the weak, those bruised and broken by life. He chose a young girl from a hill town to birth Him into this world. He chose to be born among us in the animal shelter 'out back,' because the room up front was full. Just maybe the kinsfolk of Joseph in Bethlehem had 'no room' specifically because they could count to nine, and knew that Mary's pregnancy was a scandal. The royal family in Judah determined early on to kill Him, and Jesus' family became fugitives for a time until Herod's death. As He began His adult ministry, Mark tells us that His own family thought He was mentally unstable and tried to bring Him home to avoid embarrassment. At the end of His short life, He hung naked, pinned to a rough cross, bleeding to death, while passers-by hurled insults at Him. Pilate mocked Him - "The King of the Jews" read the sign ordered nailed above Him as He died, a cruel joke.

So, you see, He understands your weariness, your brokenness, your disappointment, your feelings of worthlessness... He's been there! But, He offers more than sympathy. He is the Savior who is also the Lord of Glory. He is the embodiment of the Promise of the Great Reversal - who will make the last, first - who will exalt the humble!

Mary's song captures the joy we can know because of the Christmas promise. Read it thoughtfully today.
Note the triumph in the words, spoken prophetically, and with great hope. It is a poem written from the safety of the Divine Parent's embrace.

“Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior!
For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me.

His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. For he promised our ancestors—Abraham and his children— to be merciful to them forever.”
(Luke 1:46-55, NLT)

"It's all right now!" God is here!

"He embraced his chosen child, Israel; He remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high."


May your Christmas be marked with Joy, filled with Light, and celebrated with a new awareness of God's Love.

______________________________TFTD will return on January 2. Thanks for reading along this year. My prayer is to be used by God in these musings to encourage, to comfort, to provoke and that together we will grow up in Christ, living for the 'praise of His glory.' God bless you richly today.