Outside the snow has added a fresh layer to the corners of the window. My tea warms my hands as I curl up on the couch, listening to my favorite Christmas album. My family's Christmas tree sits before me, miraculously holding up the pounds of ornaments that adorn its branches.
It's Christmastime in the Midwest and I am beside myself with joy and contentment. There's something about coming home, holding family tight and celebrating the birth of our savior.
Into my adulthood, I've realized that while digging into Christ's story and His character, I learn so much. It seems that each Christmas season there's one new thing God is teaching me throughout my favorite time of year.
Last year was my first Christmas season away from family and away from the Midwest. Moving to California changed how I had to see Christmas. It didn't need to be about the snow, the traditions I had made years before but now couldn't be a part of, or even being with family. God stripped away those things last year to make room for Him, to clear away the clutter so that I could focus on what Christmas really is all about - Christ.
This year God has me focused on a different aspect of the Christmas Story: the fulfillment of the prophecy.
It's been incredible as I've been doing my devotionals to look at the Christmas story and go to the corresponding Old Testament references to that part of the story. For instance, Hosea 11:1 predicted that Joseph would take Mary and Joseph out of the country to Egypt after His birth (at this point, now 3 or so years after) because of Herod.
That is just one example out of many. There are countless other Old Testament verses that indicate certain things in Jesus' birth story.
After reading all the Old Testament references, I couldn't help but wonder what it might have been like to live before His birth, anticipating this day, and the joy that fell upon them learning of His birth.
For so long, the scriptures, their heritage, their teachings said that one day a savior would come. That he'd be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, and that Shepherds and Kings would come to worship Him. And that later they'd flee the country fearing for their lives, then return...and that He would be the Son of God and called Lord. They knew it was coming. They anticipated that day, I'm sure.
Then it happened. Exactly as the scriptures indicated, God gave his Son to this earth. He who would become our savior. And they worshiped him, for they were filled with unspeakable joy that, in fact, God hadn't abandoned him. For, you see, Immanuel was prophesied by Isaiah to come - that name means "God with us." All of those years, waiting, hoping, praying for His coming, and they finally had Him. It was, in fact, the greatest gift, for he represented Hope. Hope for a future filled with peace, joy, love.
And those who came to see him fell upon their knees in awe, in joy, in gladness, in thankfulness, in worship to Christ, their Lord. I would imagine tears streamed upon their faces as they sang praises to God. The heavenly hosts sang "Glory to God in the Highest! And on earth, Peace among men with whom He is pleased."
Tonight, as I stood next to my family and hundreds of other families at the Christmas eve service, singing hymns praising his birth, I began to cry. (I usually don't admit this, but in the past couple years, I've become way more of a crier than ever before.) I began to cry, imagining bowing down before my Lord, in awe and wonder that He is with us, just as was prophesied hundreds of years before He was born. And just as was prophesied, we were given Immanuel - for the gift of Christ was given.
"O, Come let us adore him! Christ, The Lord!"
"Fall on your knees - Oh hear, the angel's voices! Oh, night when Christ was born!"
These songs carry such weight and emotion in them - can't you hear it in the words and the melody? What joy must have been that night! Everything they'd hoped and prayed for was in front of them, there, in the flesh.
And that couldn't embody the truest meaning of Christmas more: God giving His son to us, our savior, our Lord and King.
I hope you take some time to consider the Old Testament prophecies and how they bring so much depth to the Christmas story this season. But mostly, I hope you celebrate the birth of our savior, and what joy comes with accepting his grace and love.
Merry Christmas to you, from snowy South Dakota!
