Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Romans 8:31 (NIV)

Only God would do it that way, right?

You wouldn’t have thought of doing it that way, would you? I wouldn’t have.

Only God, right?

To save the world. To show a lost, rebellious and hurting world what He thought of them.

He called out for a prophet He could send, and Isaiah raised his hand and said send me, Lord. Then God poked Isaiah telling him to tell the people who had lost their way—that help, direction and hope was on the way.

And so Isaiah prophesied— “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”   (Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV))

Then years later, God kept His promise, and sent His Son as a baby, born to a young girl in a filthy stable, sleeping in a straw-filled manger on the dirt.

For you and for me, and for those we love, and those we have yet to meet.

Why?

Because He said He would. He kept a promise. To get our attention. And He did. Because He loves us. Of course.

And also to declare forever, as the Apostle Paul reminded us in the passage in Romans above—He is for us.

He loves us. And He also likes us.

He roots for us. And He likes being with us.

When we mess up, or get side-tracked, pass by others in need, are less than we can be, or do things we know He probably wouldn’t smile upon—He is still for us.

When we leave the path we were walking on with Him to follow the world’s ways—He waits for us, and is still for us.

When we’re on our own, thinking we can handle things without Him—He is there ready to catch us and wipe us off when we fall.

He loves us just as much, the same, when we win a game or lose one. If we fail or succeed at something. Anything.

The world tells us otherwise. The world’s message asks “what have you done lately?” How many know who you are? Are you important and doing anything that is important?

Do you fit in? How many wins and championships or big business deals are on your life’s ledger? How much money do you have in the accounts? How many buildings or streets carry your name?

The world is for achievement and stuff.

But God is for us. Just as we are.

That’s the message of the manger.

Not just back then when Jesus was born in that humble, dirty stable in Bethlehem, but before, during and after that sacred moment.

Forever and ever.

God is for you and for me.

In His Name–Scott