Christmas Revelation

Merry Christmas, everyone! Today we commemorate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ – sent to earth as fully God and fully Man to eventually take the penalty for OUR sins and give us HIS righteousness.  It’s a beautiful thing.

I hope and pray that you are celebrating that reality whether your Christmas looks like the Norman Rockwell version (not real likely…) or is one that you are just struggling to survive.  Either way, the reality of Christ’s birth is a truth that we can stake our lives on.

Whenever I begin to write, I ask God to give me the words He wants me to share with you.  As I sat down to write this particular message (several weeks before the actual day), I again asked God’s Spirit to work through me.

Then the most amazing thought came to me.  I was reminded that this innocent little Babe Who came to earth thousands of years ago was conceived by the same Holy Spirit that now lives within the heart of every believer – guiding us, strengthening us, pointing us to Christ, and even interceding for us! And 33 years after Jesus’ birth, this Spirit raised Him from the dead.

And He’s the same Spirit that just shared this incredible revelation with me!  I have understood in the past few years that the Spirit living within me was, in fact, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead.  But somehow, I completely missed the connection between that Spirit and the immaculate conception of Jesus, the Babe.

Separately, not new concepts to me, but I had never connected all of those dots.  Talk about an amazing display of power and LOVE!

Isn’t that connection a bit mind-blowing!?  It certainly was for me.  And I hope I’m continually reminded of God’s love for us in sending us first His Son, and then after Jesus’ death, sending us His Spirit to continue God’s work in our lives.  As one of my favorite hymns says, “God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity!”

So, just a few words of practical advice today on how to bless your grieving friends.  Please remember to pray for them, and maybe even a quick text/email, letting them know that you are doing just that.  It could be a bright spot on a tough Christmas Day.

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And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. (Luke 1:35)

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

(John 14:26)

If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:11)