Jesus

"Emmanuel, Emmanuel, God incarnate, here to dwell..."

Dwell. What does that word mean to you? What thoughts does it conjure up? Did you ever notice that unlike any other holiday, Christmas seems to revolve around home, around a 'dwelling'? We sing about it, we decorate them; we spend hours and hours putting up lights and trees, green garland around the fireplace and ornate decorations on the table. We hurry to and from airports to make long-distance trips and pull out roadmaps as we go home for the holidays. We are invited into people's homes and them into ours...

It makes sense that Christmas would be a story that ultimately deals with home. It speaks of how a loving Father looked down on a lost and hopeless world and decided that He - through His precious Son - would leave His heavenly home and come here. And He did.

He removed a heavenly robe and wrapped himself in human skin. He embraced humanity and accepted us so that one day, we might be HOME with Him.

Look up "evoke" in the dictionary and it says "To bring or recall to the conscious mind". Search for “evoke” in the bible and you find (in Ephesians 5, Message) the most magnificent of statements ... "Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything He does and says is designed to bring the best out of her".

These verses also speak of The Church, in context of a beautiful bride being prepared to one day stand alongside her Saviour King. Heaven delights in this analogy and people who have felt and experienced the warmth of this reality delight also. But let's never forget that those who (sadly) position themselves as "enemies" of this same Saviour, will also position themselves as enemies of His bride. They will never delight or be enthused about her ... To them she is an equal threat, no matter how kind and gracious she (continually) shows herself to be.

The Word of God is a collection of the most hope-filled passages ever to be recorded.

John 3:16 (NLT) says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

This scripture is the anchor of our hope, the basis of all that we believe. It is the reason we can look to the future without fear and uncertainty, but with promise and expectation.

Throughout the bible, all of God’s great promises give us hope: HOPE for our past, HOPE for our everyday, and HOPE for eternity.