“22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). (Matthew 1:22)
2000 years ago, the angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary and said to her that she would be pregnant with a Child through the power of the Holy Spirit. It was something unheard of. It had never happened before. The Baby was to be called Emmanuel, which means, God with us. No matter how bleak the circumstances you are in, God is with you. He will not let go of you.
Christmas is a time for us to pause and remember that God chose to came to earth for us, mortal humans. He lived and dwelled among us. This is the greatest expression of love, that God did not spare His own Son but sent Him into this world for us (John 3:16).
Baby Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem. There were no rooms at the inn for baby Jesus to be born. The Son of God come into this world in a shabby, smelly, lowly manger, a place where animals lived in, ate and rested.
As we reflect on the meaning of Christmas, may you invite God into your life. May you experience the hope, joy, love and peace in your life that He alone gives.
