Tonight the world will pause.
Picture it in your mind: Believers in Beijing, Boston, London, Lima, Laguna Hills; people of every nation, every race, every color, every language will–for a day at least–stop their worry and start their worship.
All for a baby born 2000 years ago.
This was no ordinary baby. This infant was God wrapped in human flesh. Immanuel, God with us.
On the night He was born, angels appeared to Jewish shepherds and a star appeared to foreign kings. God announced his arrival to rich and poor, to Jew and Gentile, to those who were near and to those far off.
God with us for all of us.
[bctt tweet=”Christmas: God with us for all of us.” username=””]And isn’t God with us what we really need? If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s this.
This is the good news that overcomes fear and overwhelms fragile humanity with a glimmer of hope.
10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.
Luke 2:10-11
And so, because you, like me and people all over this planet we call Earth, will pause to look up and bow down tonight, may I pray a simple prayer of blessing over you? A prayer of peace. A prayer of protection. A prayer of salvation.
A prayer of hope.
Lord Jesus, we worship You, for you alone are God with us. I pray for my friends across the screen reading these words right now. God, bless them. Bless those they love. Open their eyes to see how deeply you love them–really, truly love them. Show them the way they should go. Direct their paths. Protect them from the evil one. Stir in their hearts great joy, and replace fear with faith and worry with worship. Give them hope, O God. Help us remember that You, growing in a womb, birthed in a barn, laying in a manger was Your way of saying, “I love you. I am here. You can be saved.”
This, my friend, is good news of great joy for a very weary world!
Merry Christmas. You are loved,
Donna
