Immanuel

Although all the names given to Jesus {Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Lord of Lords...} powerfully describe the characteristics of God, the name that speaks to me most clearly of His love for each of us individually, is Immanuel.

Immanuel, God with us.

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men...The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father full of grace and truth."
~ John 1:1-4, 14
All week long our Pastor has pointed to these verses in John. God's love for a lost and dying world was so great that because we couldn't go to him, He came to us. He knew it would mean a humble birth in a stable, and a perfect, sinless life met with rejection, death on a cross. Yet still, he chose to "make his dwelling among us." The verses above remind me that this was God's plan from the beginning. It wasn't some play of desperation when all else failed, from the very beginning He was there and had a hand in all of it.

One of my favorite Christmas songs by Downhere:


Follow the star to a place unexpected,
Would you believe after all we've projected:
a child in a manger?

Lowly and small, the weakest of all,
unlikeliest hero, wrapped in his mother's shawl.
Just a child, is this who we've waited for?

How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?

And how many gods have poured out their hearts,
to romance a world that is torn all apart?
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?

Bringing our gifts to the newborn Savior,
all that we have whether costly or meek,
because we believe.

Gold for his honor,
and frankincense for his pleasure, and
myrrh for the cross he'll suffer.
Do you believe?



Alyssa singing in the 2008 Christmas musical. She loves to sing :-)
Sorry for the abrupt cut-off at the end. Also, I'm not sure why each video has a picture of the first frame below it?

Wow, the miracle and wonder of Christmas, and the love that was behind it all.
Have a very Merry Christmas!