Here With Us

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us . . . ~ John 1:14

For believers, the core event celebrated in the Christmas season is the birth into the world of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What a rich and fascinating story it is!--how His coming was foretold by the ancient prophets; God's choice of humble Mary and Joseph to be His earthly parents; Mary's joyous visitation to Elizabeth, then carrying John the Baptist; the dream that assured Joseph of Mary's divine mission; the journey to Bethlehem; the frantic, blessed night of Christ's birth; the Star of Bethlehem; the Shepherds and the Wise Men; Herod's wrath and the flight into Egypt; the naming and presentation of the infant Jesus in the Temple; and the prophecies of glory (and heartache) there given by Simeon and Anna.

But even more astounding is that the Creator of the Universe, the Almighty and All-Knowing Lord, willingly left his Throne in the perfection of Eternity and--rather than coming upon the clouds in all His Heavenly majesty--submitted to be born as a helpless child amidst the animals in a stable, in a dusty little village in a backward, downtrodden land, to poor and humble human parents. No wealth, distinction, or royal courts for Him. Instead, He made Himself the tiniest particle in His own Creation, simply to show us His loving self, to teach us the Way to salvation, and, ultimately, to redeem our souls with His own blood. Can you imagine loving fleas so much that you made yourself into one and willingly suffered all their limitations, just so you could communicate with them on their own level and let them know that you loved them and wanted them to live with you forever? Except that you didn't create fleas or the world they live in, and in all probability would never love fleas enough to give your life for them. But that is exactly what our own Lord did for us, and it all started that chilly, blessed night in Bethlehem more than 2000 years ago.

For me, this is the most wondrous Christmas story. It's also the most profound mystery in the history of the world. And this truth is perfectly expressed in the song Here With Us, sung by Joy Williams (2005, Word Music). Enjoy the beautiful video, ponder the lyrics, and try to comprehend--if you can--the Miracle of it all:

It's still a mystery to me
That the hands of God could be so small,
How tiny fingers reaching in the night
Were the very hands that measured the sky

Chorus

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah Son of God, Servant King,
You're here with us You're here with us

It's still a mystery to me,
How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time
How His ears have heard an angel's symphony,
But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep

Chorus

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Son of God, Servant King
Here with us
You're here with us
(Oh, here with us)

Bridge

Jesus the Christ, born in Bethlehem
A baby born to save, to save the souls of man

Chorus

Hallelujah, hallelujah
Heaven's love reaching down to save the world
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Son of God, Servant King
You're here with us
You're here with us

MAY EVERYONE HAVE A BLESSED AND JOYOUS CHRISTMAS!