EVERY CHRISTIAN HOLY DAY HAS ITS OWN SPIRIT. EASTER IS VICTORY, EXHALTATION, AND CELEBRATION. BUT CHRISTMAS IS JOY, PEACE, AND LOVE.

THE MESSAGE OF THE ANGEL WHO APPEARED TO THE SHEPHERDS IN BETHLEHEM WAS FILLED WITH GLORY, JOY, AND WONDER – “I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF A GREAT JOY…A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN FOR YOU WHO IS MESSIAH GOD…GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST AND PEACE AMONG MEN WITH WHOM HE IS PLEASED.”

THINK OF THOSE WORDS. GOD IS RECEIVING GLORY FROM MAN! GOD IS PLEASED WITH MAN! HOW IS THIS? JUST LOOK AT THAT BABY LYING IN A FEEDING TROUGH, BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, SINLESS, HOLY, AND REAL.

IT IS NOT MAGIC. IT IS REAL. GOD HAS BECOME FLESH AND BLOOD. GOD HAS JOINED HIS HOLY ETERNAL LIFE TO HUMANITY FOREVER! HERE IS A HUMAN BEING WHO IS EXACTLY WHAT GOD PLANNED AND PURPOSED FROM ETERNITY.

“PEACE AMONG MEN WITH WHOM GOD IS PLEASED.” THIS BABY CAME FROM GOD, YES, BUT HE ALSO CAME FROM MARY WHO CAME FROM ADAM. GOD IS PROUD OF HIS SON’S GENEALOGY. IT IS GIVEN IN BOTH MATTHEW AND LUKE.

GLORY TO GOD IN THE HIGHEST. MAN IS NOW GIVING TO GOD WHAT HE HAS SOUGHT FROM ALL ETERNITY. AT THE END OF HIS LIFE, JESUS COULD SAY TO HIS HEAVENLY FATHER, “I HAVE GLORIFIED YOU ON EARTH.”

WE THINK THAT BECAUSE GOD IS GOD THAT HE NEEDS NOTHING MORE. BUT TRUE LOVE DESIRES, NEEDS, SHARES, AND GIVES, WANTS TO PRODUCE ITS OWN KIND AND GIVE TO HIS/HER PROGENY. SUCH IS MAN, SUCH IS GOD.

GOOD NEWS OF A GREAT JOY! WHAT A JOY JESUS WAS TO HIS PARENTS. AND WHAT JOY HE BRINGS TO ALL MANKIND AND THROUGH MAN TO ALL CREATION.

“WHAT CHILD IS THIS” SAYS ONE OF OUR CAROLS. “NO MAN EVER SPOKE LIKE THIS MAN.” “I ALWAYS DO WHAT IS PLEASING TO THE FATHER.” “THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.” AND HE IS OURS!!!

GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY AND PEACE! THIS SON OF GOD AND SON OF MAN WILL STOP SIN, COVER SIN, ABOLISH ALL EVIL, AND FILL THE UNIVERSE WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS, LOVE, BEAUTY, AND JOY. THIS IS WHAT GOD HAS BEEN WORKING FOR FROM ALL ETERNITY. AND IT IS THROUGH MAN THAT HE ACCOMPLISHES HIS ETERNAL QUEST.

IN THIS HOLY HUMAN BEING HEAVEN AND EARTH ARE JOINED. REVELATION GIVES US THE VISION, “BEHOLD, THE DWELLING PLACE OF GOD IS AMONG MEN, AND HE SHALL DWELL AMONG THEM, AND THEY SHALL BE HIS PEOPLE, AND GOD HIMSELF SHALL BE AMONG THEM.”

YES, CHRISTMASTIME IS A SPECIAL TIME OF FEELING AND EXPRESSING THE LOVE, JOY, AND PEACE OF BOTH GOD AND MAN.

Rosemary E Hyslop                                                                                                                          December 3, 2016