Long ago, the prophet Isaiah told of His coming. At a time when the nation of Israel was in the midst of great affliction, hopeless and despair; when its people needed a message of hope, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah: (Isaiah 9:6-7)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
God said a Child will be born and He will be My gift to you. And then He added, I’m committed to make this happen and nothing will thwart my plans; and nothing did!
It all happened according to plan, right on schedule. The Bible says...when the time had fully come, God sent his Son. (Galatians 4:4)
From the issuing of a decree to take a census, to Joseph and Mary travelling to Bethlehem, the angelic message to the shepherds and a bright start in the sky; at just the right time, God’s love found a way to break into human history to bring light and life and hope and joy. The passionate commitment of the Lord Almighty guaranteed it would happen; and it did!
Frederick Beuchner has written: Those who believe in God can never in a way be sure of Him again. Once they have seen him in a stable, they can never be sure when He will appear or to what lengths he will go or to what ludicrous depth of self-humiliation he will descend to in His wild pursuit of humankind.
The wonder, the beauty, the joy we find in the Christmas story comes from the realization that God’s love found a way; not only to break into human history, but to break into your heart and mine!
Lucado concludes the only thing more absurd than the gift is our stubborn unwillingness to receive it.
How absurd to think that such nobility would go to such poverty to share such a treasure with such thankless souls. (Max Lucado)
That God would send His Son to be our Saviour is the wonder of Christmas!
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!