Emmanuel: The name means “God
with us.” But the unusual and emphatic position of the words making up the name
show it should be understood, “WITH US is God!”
Thus, the name Emmanuel captures
the awe and wonder of the incarnation, and the unimaginable fact that the God
of the universe entered the stream of time to become one with us.
So often we hear from people that
it is such a magical season...and I agree.
There is a wonder, a joy, a hope,
and a peace...and it blazes a trail through all that that is tarnished,
sorrowful, hopeless, and turbulent.
What really hurts is that our
culture tries to sweep the truth under the rug of tolerance.
But on the day we celebrate Jesus'
birthday, on the birthday of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, on this day
that He should be recognized and honored for his coming into the world....He
hardly enters our minds at all.
It’s all about the bottom
line...we go through the parade of Christmas dressed in a costume of
materialism.
But I love how Brennan Manning
balances this:
“Once a year the Christmas season
strikes both the sacred and the secular spheres of life with a sledgehammer
force: suddenly Jesus Christ is
everywhere.
For approximately one month His presence is
inescapable. You may accept him or
reject him, affirm Him or deny him, but you cannot ignore him. Of course He is proclaimed in speech, song,
and symbol in all the Christian circles.
But he rides every red-nosed reindeer, lurks behind every cabbage patch
doll, and resonates in the most desacralized “season’s greetings” and “happy
holidays.” Remotely or proximately He is
toasted in every cup of Christmas cheer.
Each sprig of holly is a hint of his holiness, each cluster of mistletoe
a sign he is here.
For those who claim His name, Christmas
heralds this luminous truth: The God of
Jesus Christ is our absolute future.
Such is the deeply hopeful character of this sacred season. By God’s free doing in Bethlehem, nothing can
separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Light, life and love are on our side.”
Emmanuel: With us is God. Merry
CHRISTmas.
