Yesterday, for about an hour, I was simply swallowed by grief. The pain of my own life coupled with the difficulties of so many in my pastoral care merged to become one big ache in my soul. And, I'll admit, I wept. I got in my car and drove down the highway. (I find that being alone in the car is a great place to pray.) As I communed with the LORD through my tears, I experienced the miracle of Immanuel, "God with us!"
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 the Holy Spirit embraces me - and in my spirit I hear the Voice of God say, "it's all right now!" - sometimes I cannot hold back the tears, as the emotions that have been bottled up spill over 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- "Immanuel, 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 Christ, is the God of the little, the forgotten, the weak, those bruised and broken by life.
• The Father chose a young girl from a hill town to bring His Son into this world.
• He was born 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.
Yes, Immanuel is not just a Name. It's a statement. He understands your weariness, your brokenness, your disappointment, your feelings of worthlessness... because He's been there,too!
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)
"He embraced his chosen child, Israel; He remembered and piled on the mercies, piled them high." - The Message
Are you tired, confused, sad, broken, forsaken? Retreat for a while to the quiet, but don't focus on your pain. Instead, wait for Immanuel to come. Invite Him to soothe your soul with His Presence. We can endure, indeed; we can recover our joy when He embraces us with Grace.
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One sat alone beside the highway begging,
His eyes were blind, the light he could not see.
He clutched his rags and shivered in the shadows
Then Jesus came and bade his darkness flee.
When Jesus comes, the tempter's power is broken;
When Jesus comes, the tears are wiped away,
He takes the gloom and fills the life with glory,
For all is changed when Jesus comes to stay.
So men today have found the Savior able,
They could not conquer passion, lust and sin;
Their broken hearts had left them sad and lonely,
Then Jesus came and dwelt, Himself, within.
When Jesus Comes
Homer Rodehaver
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