Matthew 1:23 — “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel which means, ‘God with us.’” Seasons come and seasons go. For the past month or so we have all geared up for the big day – Christmas produces such excitement and expectation. Now the day has come and gone and many are feeling a letdown. Adrenaline and frantic busyness to get everything just right has taken its toll and exhaustion hits full force. This feeling of sadness at the end of something special will happen all throughout life, but I have found a way to carry the joy of the season with me. When our family has been on vacation and it is time to go home and “get back to normal,” I combat the sadness by remembering that the most important parts of my life are still with me. When we go home from vacation I get to go home with those I love and continue to enjoy living each day with them. Though the excitement of the Christmas season is winding down and we are thinking about getting back to business as usual, the gift and beauty of Christmas goes with us. Christ came to earth and was born as a tiny baby to restore our connection with our heavenly Father. The name God gave Him was Immanuel, which means “God with us.” Jesus, the Son of God, confined Himself to a human body on earth for over thirty years, but though He has gone back to heaven, He has left His Spirit to dwell with us every day. We celebrate His birth, life, and death each year with great excitement and pleasure, but when the calendar day has come and gone, we are not left alone. Immanuel, God with us, is here to stay. He has made His home within each person who receives Him through faith and He will never leave us nor forsake us. You may be tired on the day after Christmas, but there is no reason to be sad. The Father sent His only Son to be born in Bethlehem so that we could have His presence with us forever and ever. Seasons come and seasons go, but the joy remains. If you have accepted God’s gift of His Son, you get to live the rest of your life with Him. Sandra Sheridan is a Midwest wife and mother of five. She shares her messages to her children with Farm World. Visit her at www.VersesFromMama.com |
