"She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Mt.1:22)
The horrendous news swallowed up by the glorious news: We are sinners, everyone of us. We live in a sin-sick, broken world full of fellow sinners...but God has sent us a Savior. And His name is Jesus, which means "God saves."
Today, let those words sink in: God saves. That's not just what He does. That's who He is. The always and forever omnipotent, omniscient Almighty Lord, Creator and Sustainer of Heaven and Earth--that awesome God saves and He is salvation. He came to earth to bring and to be our Salvation.
Sometimes in the midst of the wrapping and lights and cookies and craziness and shopping and lists...we forget. But then perhaps sorrow suddenly overcomes us or failure discourages us or waiting weakens us or weariness overwhelms us or simply the cares of this old world remind us once again that we are imperfect, broken people living in an imperfect, broken world...but God saves! God sent a Savior and His name is Jesus. Jesus came to forgive, to love, to free, to save, and He is--even now--making all things new. And He is coming again.
Often it takes those difficult times in our lives to enable the good news to breaks upon us with all its astounding wonder and glory. And in that sense the sorrows, disappointments, and failures in our lives are gifts, truly gifts that open our eyes to glimpse who God is and what He has done in sending us Jesus...and it's incredible, awesome (in the true meaning of that word!), and joyous beyond all imagining.
Stephen Curtis Chapman wrote a song many years ago that was prompted by seeing a prisoner--head bowed in shame, shackled by his hands and feet--shuffle onto his plane. The sight prompted Chapman to write a song, "Remember your Chains," and it's always been one of my favorites. "Remember your chains. Remember the prison that once held you before the love of God broke through. Remember the place you were without grace. When you see where you are now Remember your chains and remember your chains are gone."
That's who we were--prisoners of our sin, shame, failure, envy, pride, and selfishness...but then God's love broke through and He sent a Savior at Christmas. God saves.
Not just God saved. God saves. Here today. In that deeply held disappointment and sorrow that hides within your heart--God saves. In that fear of an uncertain future--God saves. In that painful, broken relationship--God saves. In that terrible diagnosis, disease or death--God saves. He is present. He is powerful. He is enough. He is able. He will one glorious day redeem all those ugly, shattered places in our lives and in our world, and when He comes again, He will make all, all, all things new.
Today, in the midst of all your happiness or busyness, your waiting or discouragement, your sadness or exhaustion, your fear or anxiety, simply pause and reread the beautiful, wondrous story in His eternal, God-breathed Word. It's the story of a sovereign Lord who loves you so infinitely much, that He came to you, to me, to this whole world, to save. He came as a baby. He lived, died, and rose again to save as a Redeemer. He will return as a King. And He is, even now, making all things new.
Oh please, today, remember your chains...but then remember--praise God--your chains are gone. Remember God saves.
To God--the Savior, the Chain Breaker, the One who makes all things new--be all the glory.
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