In a brave attempt to make Christmas more about celebrating our Saviour, Steve and I have abandoned the overly familiar nativity story in favour of going through the prophecies about Jesus birth in the Old Testement. There are so many, and there's nothing like a messianic prophecy to blow your groggy brain of a morning...
This morning's prophecy was from Isaiah, a pretty passionate dude who spoke to a crushed and devided Israel:
Chapter 7:13-14>>>
"Then Isaiah said, "Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of men? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."
Chapter 9:6-7>>>
For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this."
As we read it there were tears in my eyes. Hundreds of years before His coming it was prophecied with uncanny detail that the eternal Son of God would step into our story, constraining Himself to mortality, to time, to limiting His abilities and submitting to His Father and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, all for us. I cannot concieve of what that was like for Him...
Merry Christmas xc