In the beginning, God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the day in the Garden of Eden. They enjoyed the intimate presence of God until one day, they chose to eat the fruit of one forbidden tree. After they ate the fruit, they heard God walking in the Garden and calling them. They hid from God’s presence. They were ashamed of their nakedness.

I’ve been ashamed … words I wish I could take back, thoughts I shouldn’t have entertained, actions I took that hurt others. I’ve wanted to withdraw and hide.

Yet, God did not want Adam and Eve to hide from Him. He caused them to confess what they did. Then He explained the consequences of their actions: cursed ground, hard labor, pain in childbirth, discord between themselves, dismissal from the Garden of Eden, eventual death, and separation from the presence of God.

But God was gracious. God covered their guilt with animal skins, the first sacrifice, but it only covered the sin.

Hope Given

There was hope that day. God told Satan that there would be hatred between Satan and the woman and her seed (a reference to the virgin birth, since the man fertilizes the egg with his seed) and Satan’s seed. The Messiah would bruise Satan’s head (Satan’s power), and Satan would bruise Jesus’ heel (the cross). Genesis 3:15

Prophecy Given

Centuries later, God revealed His promise of the Messiah again, but with more information.

Behold, a virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel [God with us]. Isaiah 7:14

At a time when Ahaz, king of Judah, feared that Syria and the Northern Kingdom would attack, God sent Isaiah to Ahaz to give him a wonderful promise of hope – hope for the nation in the near future; in 12-13 years, the two kings of Syria and the Northern Kingdom would be conquered. The coming Messiah is the far future prophecy.

The promise of hope remains true today. In the midst of trials or danger, God is with us, and He is in control.

Promise Given

In the fullness of time, God gave the world “His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Almighty God shed His glory in heaven to enter the womb of a young virgin. God became flesh and lived among the Israelites. Jesus taught in the synagogues, in the homes of tax collectors, on mountainsides, on boats, and down the streets as people followed Him. He healed the sick, touched the lepers, gave sight to the blind, restored hearing to the deaf, raised the dead, calmed the sea, fed the 5,000, and much more.

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. John 1:4

Jesus became flesh to live the perfect life, to reflect the Father in Heaven, to show the Way, and to become the perfect Sacrifice. Jesus came to take your sins and my sins upon Himself and pay the price for those sins … death. Jesus was nailed to the cross as payment for our sins … death. The price for your sins is paid in full. Jesus paid it all.

Why? Jesus will clothe you in garments of salvation, so that you can live with Him forever … God with us.

Gift of Christmas

This is the gift of Christmas. This is the gift of God … God with us forever through the sacrifice of Jesus.

Will you receive this gift?

It’s free, and, yet, it costs you everything. Surrender your life to Jesus, and He will be with you, and you will be in Him, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27b

My prayer

Father, thank You for loving the world so much that You gave Your only begotten Son to live and die as the perfect sacrifice to pay for our sins, so that we could live with Him forever. We surrender our lives to You. What hope we have in You! Immanuel, thank You! Amen.

Please share what Christmas means to  you in the Comment Section.

Wishing you a blessed Christmas filled with joy.