God With Us

God created mankind for a relationship with Him.  In the beginning God literally walked with Adam and Eve in the garden and talked with them face to face, but their sin broke that relationship and separated us from our creator.  As time passed God continued to speak to His people, but no longer face to face.  Instead He spoke through his people and His written Word.  He used prophets, priests, and kings, along with other faithful men and women, to rescue His people in their time of need and to communicate His will.  

God was silent 

At some point something changed.  There was no prophecy, no new writtings, God was no longer speaking.  The people waited and prayed for help, but God said nothing.  For over 200 years the world waited, but God was still silent. When He did finally speak it wasn’t through a man.  Instead God robed Himself in flesh, stepped out of eternity, and again walked among us and spoke to us face to face.  Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Which means God with us. 

God Came

God's presence has always filled the earth, but now He came to us in a new and more personal way.  For the first time Light came into the world.  It was the Light of Life and the darkness could not overpower it.  The King of all creation was born in a humble manger.  His first hours were spent in a stable, and His first visitors were rough, smelly shepherds, but God had come and the world would never be the same.  In spite of the significance of this event there were many who missed His coming.  For various reasons their hearts were not ready for Him, and so His birth, life, and sacrificial death escaped their notice. 

No Room in the Inn

The City of Bethlehem was filled beyond it's capacity because of the census and so when Mary an Joseph tried to find a place to stay all that was left for them was a stable.  The town just didn't have room for them.  That is also true today.  There are those who do not have room in their hearts for God, not even for a God who gave himself for them.  Like the people of Bethlehem many in our generation are in danger of missing out on the life changing event that took place so many years ago.   The are two primary consequences of this.  First, is that when we miss out on Jesus entirely we miss out on the offer of salvation that comes with Him.  Faith in Him and what He has done for us is the only way to restore a relationship with the Father and gain eternal life with Him.  Second, when we who believe miss out on the presence of Jesus in our everyday lives we miss out on the power, freedom, and peace that He offers us right now where we are.  

God has come.  Don’t miss Him!