Emmanuel, God with Us

It is perhaps one of the greatest understatements of all time, full of hope and mystery, and ushering in the greatest raucous that has ever burst forth on this earth. To a fearful group of wayward shepherds, keeping weary eyes open to watch their sheep late on a clear night, appears a powerful member of the Angel Armies who, upon seeing their shocked and trembling countenances, says, “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good tidings of great joy…” And so, on such a small introduction follows the greatest promise we can have, given to the lowliest and poorest of us all.

God has come. He has traveled the furthest distance from the Throne room to an unknown cave, fighting through all the forces of the Evil One arrayed against His plan, to make Himself known to the humbled, to the fringes of the population, heralded by goats, by sheep, and by astrologers from the east. Here, in this tiny infant – vulnerable, helpless, needy – rests not only our hope for life, but our restoration as well, our invitation to take our place once again in the story God has been telling for a long, long time. It is a Story of heroic proportions, of daring rescues, of passion and pursuit, of battle and adventure, and of intimacy beyond our wildest imaginations. Of heroes masked in wrappings of spittle and enemies masquerading as angels of light. It is a Story that begins, “Once upon a time” and ends “And they lived happily ever after…”

We are they. And the depths of our hearts burn with the anticipation of all that awaits, of all that began so, so long ago, of all that concludes with our full release into all we were created for…