Valerie Rae Hanneman
Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” (NIV)
When I was a kid there was nothing better than when my Aunt Bev and Uncle Denny came to visit with all their kids. When mom would tell us that they were coming we would get so excited! Days suddenly stretched out long as we waited with expectation for the day that they would finally be there. We must have driven our mom to distraction as every day we would ask, “Are they going to be here today?” Mom, well she just went nuts with the cleaning and cooking as she prepared for their visit. Floors were scrubbed, furniture polished, cakes, pies and cookies were baked. Finally the day came when they were to be there. We would watch anxiously out the window for them to arrive. Finally their car would pull up in front of the house and they would come spilling out of the car as we came running out of the house. Shouts of joy would fill the air as we hugged and kissed each other. The days that followed were filled with so much love - the love that is found best in families. Even after all these years those visits remain cherished memories. But eventually the dreaded last day would come and Aunt Bev, Uncle Denny and all our cousins would head out for home. The walk to their car was a little slower, the hugs and kisses were a little more somber. I remember once telling Uncle Denny, “I don’t want you to go!” and him laughing and saying, “We have to go home now, but we will come back - I promise.” And I knew that he would keep that promise and through the years he did.
For 400 years Israel waited in expectation for Messiah to come and on this night above all nights God kept His promise to them through a tiny baby in a manger. The wise men travel towards Bethlehem following a star with their hearts prepared to worship the newborn King of the Jews. God kept His promise to them through a tiny baby in a manger. Shepherds left their flocks in the mountains as they hurried with great joy to see the Christ of whom the angels sang. God kept His promise to them through a tiny baby in a manger. A brilliant star filled the night sky as a declaration of God’s extravagant love for His Son and for His creation. God kept His promise to us through a tiny baby in a manger.
When the first humans were sent from the Garden of Eden God gave them the first promise - the seed of the woman would crush the head of satan. God promised Abraham that through his children the entire world would be blessed. The older testament is filled with God’s promises of a Messiah.
That is what Jesus was as He lay in that manger. He was God’s promise fulfilled.
Throughout His walk here on earth Jesus gave His followers promises “I will never leave You or forsake You.”“I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in Me will live.”“Because I live you also will live”“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” And as I daily walk my life in Christ I hold tightly to those promises knowing that He is ever with me as I face what the troubles that this world has for me. Sometimes the promises He gave us are the only thing that gets me through my day.
That is what Jesus was as He lay in that manger. He is God’s promise fulfilled today.
There are even more promises that have been given to all believers and that is the promise of eternity with God. “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”“People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.” These are the promises every believer has for their future - the very best of the promises.
That is what Jesus was as He lay in that manger. He is God’s promise to be fulfilled..
Throughout the spans of eternity Jesus is God’s promise that was fulfilled, that is fulfilled today and that will be fulfilled. We can trust in the promises to be fulfilled tomorrow because He has kept the promises of yesterday and today.
As we e celebrate the Christ Child tonight and on future nights let us never forget....
He is the promise and He is on His way.
LORD God, I join John the Revelator as we say, “Even so, come LORD Jesus!”