It has truly not felt like a Christmas season to me. Between hospital visits, tire trouble, working like crazy, bills taking all your money. Maybe like me you need a reminder of what this season is about.
Today I've been thinking a lot about Matthew 1:23. "Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means 'God is with us'". See I personally at times need that reminder and I need to rest knowing God is with us. Now I call this blog a weekly dose of hope and I sometimes need it as much as you. I've had a few weeks that have been rough but I want to direct you to 2 Samuel 22:32-37 because we need to be reminded of what it means when God is with us. Why because Christmas and Easter are the biggest doses of hope ever!
"For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock? God is my strong fortress, and he makes my way perfect. He makes me as surefooted as a deer, enabling me to stand on mountain heights. He trains my hands for battle; he strengthens my arm to draw a bronze bow. You have given me your shield of victory; your help has made me great. You have made a wide path for my feet to keep them from slipping."
"He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me."
You will here a lot of people say thank you baby Jesus but here's the thing he isn't a baby anymore. He was born of a virgin, died on a cross for our sins, rose from the dead was seen by over 500 people as declared in scripture. His name means God with us and for the Christian he is the expected returning King of kings. See Christmas is a message of hope because of this. "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."
I don't know what stress you're dealing with this season but there is hope. 1 Peter 5: 10-11 "In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen."
Like the City Harmonic said "This is the story of the Son of God hanging on a cross for me. But it ends with a bride and groom and a wedding by a glassy sea."
"Never give up hope, at least not so early in the game."
Odd fact or side note I discovered Psalm 18 and 2 Samuel 22 almost mirror one another in the New Living Translation. It's really very cool.
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