We were up at 7 this morning to get our Christmas started with stockings and gifts and a special breakfast and other family traditions. And a few hours later I’m sitting here at my computer, running back through Christmas posts from years past to see what I was doing on Christmas in 2009, 2008, 2007–I can go all the way back to 2003. Some years we’ve been at home while other years we’ve been celebrating an Atlanta or Chattanooga Christmas. No two years have quite been the same.
This year we are at home, though a little bit later on we’ll be driving to my in-laws place and doing a Christmas dinner there (roast lamb, if I heard it right). And that will be that–a fun, quiet, traditional family Christmas. I love it.
I find myself thinking this morning about the miracle of Emmanuel, the miracle of God being with us. It’s a shame that we could ever get used to such a thing–to something as amazing as God being with us, God coming to earth in human form. It’s an idea I don’t ever want to get so used to that it begins to lose its wonder.
And as I sit here I am listening to Sojurn sing this song, “God Is With Us.”
The glory of God has come to the earth,
The glory of God in our Savior’s birth,
Join with the angels to sing and proclaim
Glory to His name
Emmanuel, Emmanuel, God is with us
Emmanuel, Emmanuel, God is with us now.
Eternity’s likeness has come into time,
A light in the darkness, now hope is alive,
Down from the heavens on this holy night,
Our God in a manger, our God as a child.
Emmanuel, Emmanuel, God is with us
Emmanuel, Emmanuel, God is with us now.
Oh, let us bring Him more than our silver and gold…
