The day has finally arrived. After expecting and preparing, today begins the big celebration. We celebrate Heaven Coming Down… we celebrate Jesus. After being in captivity for 700 years, and then a period of waiting to 400 more years, Jesus, the best of heaven, came to earth to deliver God’s people. He came as a baby, innocent, fragile, and holy. He came as a King, longed for and long expected, who was mighty to save. At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus that changed history forever.
Everyone longs to know that they have someone who will never leave them, disown them, or desert them. Jesus came as Emmanuel, which means, God dwells among us. That means we are never alone. In the moment of our greatest joy, or the deepest season of despair, Jesus is always there. His Name means that He is always with us. What can take comfort in His permanent presence.
He came as love personified. God is love, and he who abides in love, abides in God, and God in him. (I John 4:16) The God of love has come to never leave us, and to abide with us in love. Love is the greatest of all (I Cor 13:8). We should pursue love and be love to the world. One thing love does is cover – love is like the snow. The beauty of snow is in what it covers up. Everything can be dirty underneath, but put a blanket of snow over the top, and everything looks beautiful. That is just like love. We can bring beauty all around us when we cover other’s mistakes and when we extend grace to others. When we make an effort to cover everything in love, just like a fresh dusting of snow, beauty emerges.
Just as each snowflake is unique, God demonstrates His love to us in unique ways… what could be more unique than a royal king born in a manger? When each of us, like individual snowflakes, begin to manifest the love of God, the beautiful body of Christ can be revealed. And, when each member loves like Jesus, we can envision the purity of fresh fallen snow, covering ugliness and bringing loveliness to this earth.
Jesus has come, Heaven Came Down…..it is Christmas. He will never leave us, and His love lives inside of us. What great joy and comfort that brings. We are loved with the purest, most abiding love available – God’s love. Let’s be as committed to loving Him as He is to us. Let us never leave Him and let us always demonstrate His love to others – throughout Christmas, and all through the year. Merry Christmas!