Pearls of Great Value

I believe, all the dark won’t stop the light from breaking through!

You know why I love Christmas so much? To me it’s a beautiful reminder that the impossible is possible with Jesus. If you would have told Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God, she would have said, its impossible. If you’d have told Joseph that his fiancée would conceive and give birth all while being a virgin, he would have looked at you and thought, you’re crazy. If you would have told the shepherds that one night the heavens would break open and a choir of angels would appear and sing the most glorious song to them, they would have said, it’s impossible. If you told the Jewish people that their long awaited Messiah was going to be born as a babe in the lowly town of Bethlehem, they would have said, Impossible! If you would have said that the son of God was going to become flesh and live among men, they would have said, it is impossible! Who would have ever thought that is was possible for heaven to come down earth? Who could have imagined the goodness that was wrapped up in cloth lying in a manger? Who could think that salvation was born, the mirror image of the Father, the Word of God here in bodily form? It was impossible for the human mind to grasp.

But here’s the wonder and miracle of Christmas. Here is where men say it’s impossible, and yet God enters the story and the impossible becomes a reality. His hand did not stop short of showing us His power and His strength in love. He held nothing back, even sacrificing His beloved Son. His heart was moved by compassion, his grace poured out from heaven above and set the earth ablaze in light and love. Here was freedom. Here was hope. Here was mercy born. Here was our Savior! Living proof that the Father truly loves us. It’s a glorious miracle. In fact, I believe that Jesus coming and being born a man is still the greatest miracle of all. It’s a divine blessing and gift that surpasses our understanding. This babe born of a virgin, this son of God, oh! this story stirs within my heart and there bursts forth hope. I can’t help but believe and the possibilities are endless!

I’ve long ago become convinced that where love is, and let us remember that God IS love, in that place is also the ability to move in the miraculous. Isn’t this what Christmas shows us? Holding on to the promises and keeping in mind that yes, my Father God loves me very much! Mary found herself in this position. Though it must have seemed unbelievable, she held all of these things in her heart, pondering them, and trusting in her Father. This is the secret. Holding on, in faith believing that He who made the promise is faithful. And even still when we lose our faith, He is still faithful and true to His Word!

So it is good for us to take this time and remind our hearts...impossible is a word that doesn’t exist in Gods kingdom. I imagine God grins when we come to the end of ourselves. When we’re so stuck we throw up our hands in defeat. That’s perfect for Him. He goes right to work, rolling up His sleeves and with a huge smile creates the miracle. Sometimes, we have to admit, we hold God back. We’re more of a hindrance than a help. We come with our problems and instead of handing them over we insist on holding them tightly in our fist. There’s very little room for Him to work. You see, the impossible only becomes possible when God enters the equation. Its when we let go and say, “Father, your will be done!”

This Christmas, let us be as Mary. Did she understand what the angel was saying, when he proclaimed that she would conceive and bear a son, the Son of the Most High? No, she didn’t. But that didn’t hold her back from believing that if God had spoken a Word, it was going to happen. This was where she ground herself. Not in the what if’s or in the what will people say, but in the truth spoken to her,: “I am highly favored of the Lord and nothing will be impossible with Him”. Let’s do this one thing. Let us remember this one sentence of Mary and keep repeating it to our heart, and it will be well with us: Abba Father, let it be done to me according to your Word! Let it be done!” And while you’re speaking this truth, remember this also: you too, if you have faith in the Lord, are highly favored of Him and nothing will be impossible for you when you are with God! Yes, remember this: God is with you, in you, and He is for you. Always.

Abba Father, Help us to remember in this season, that first and foremost, we are not alone. Just as in the darkest time in history Jesus came and gave hope, you also are here right now shining light and hope into our hearts still today. We are not alone and your name Emmanuel reminds us of this: God is with us. Help us not to fear or be afraid, for you fulfill your promises and you still say: behold I bring you good news of great joy! We pray to receive your Word into our hearts as Mary did and grow in the Lord, grow in faith, and bear good fruit. We honor you and celebrate you! We praise you for because of you nothing is impossible! And whoever trusts in you will receive life eternally and all the pain and suffering and darkness will not have the final word. We surrender to you and pray that it will be to us according to your word! We love you. In Jesus name, Amen.