The Hope of Christmas [God With Us]
Twinkle lights, Christmas music, ribbons and snowflakes, cookies, cinnamon, Hallmark movies, family and friends, winter nights. This is my favorite time of year! On the day after Thanksgiving, you will find me putting up my tree and replacing my normal wall art with Christmas art.
I have had a love affair with the magic of Christmas for years, but it wasn't until a few years ago that I fell in love with the real meaning of Christmas.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)
When I was a kid, I thought "Word" here was referring to the Bible. You know, the Word of God. So I thought, "Okay, yeah, the Bible has always been around, it was with God because He wrote it, and it was God because His words are who He is." Guess what. That isn't what's going on here!
The Word is Jesus! I'm sure many of you knew that already, but it was a major lightbulb moment for me. But why does it matter so much? Check out verse 14:
"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:14)
This is Christmas. This is the our hope! Immanuel, GOD WITH US, coming to our destitute and desperate world to bring us life.
"In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world." (John 1: 4-5, 9)
And the darkness has not overcome it. This is our hope! No matter how dark things seem, the light will always shine. Jesus is the light of the world, and He is dwelling with us.
Christmas isn't about gifts or parties. It isn't about eggnog and cookies. It isn't even about twinkle lights and trees.
Christmas is about hope. Hope for a world utterly without hope until the light shone in the darkness.
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