Wonderful: God is Faithful

This will be the last post in the advent series, but there will be one more email.

Jesus became God with us so we could be with Him. That is wonderful. 

God demonstrated His love by sending His Son to be the Savior of the world. That is wonderful.

And when we live in relationship with Jesus, the Messiah, the Christmas season is wonderful. It is true celebration and rejoicing. Because the promised Messiah has come and has brought new, full, abundant life through Him.

In Luke 1, we read a song of Mary, the mother of Jesus:

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. 
“From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is His name.
“His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.
"He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as He promised our ancestors.” (vv. 46-55)

With these words, Mary rejoices. With these words, Mary celebrates. With these words, Mary praises. God has great things! He has performed mighty deeds! He has kept His promises!

​There is such joy in these words. Joy founded in God’s character. Joy founded in knowing God is faithful. He will carry out what He promises.

Just before Mary proclaimed this song, Her cousin Elizabeth (who was pregnant with John, the forerunner of Jesus) had exclaimed, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the Child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!” (Luke 1:42-45)

Leaping for joy. Believing the promises of the Lord would be fulfilled. Rejoicing and celebration.

In Luke 2, we read the Christmas story, the promise fulfilled:

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a Child. While they were there, the time came for the Baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in cloths and placed Him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a Baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’
“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.’
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’
“So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby, who was lying in the manger.
“When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this Child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
"On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the Child, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived.” (vv. 1-21)

The angels declared they brought good news that will cause great joy for all the people. And what was that good news of great joy? That the Savior, the promises Messiah, had come!  And they rejoiced and celebrated with praise to God, the faithful One who keeps His promises.

And the shepherds joined in the glorifying and praising of God for all they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. Promises fulfilled.

Each Christmas, we join in this celebration. For we have experienced the life Messiah brings. We have seen the promises fulfilled. We know God will continue to keep His promises. “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

We are the recipients of God’s promises and their fulfillment. We look back over God’s faithfulness to us throughout our lives, even in the times when we were unfaithful. And we look forward with confidence in the promises to come. The promise of a home in heaven. Of seeing face to face. Of being clothed with the imperishable. 

We can rejoice in the promises kept and in those to come. We can have complete joy through Jesus. We can join the celebration any time and all the time.

As I said above, this is the last post in the advent series, but I will be sending one more email (with a video!) to conclude Wonderful. Subscribe below and watch for the email on Friday!

This will be my last blog post for the year of 2015. I’m going to spend the last few weeks moving into a new house, making and buying gifts, and celebrating the Messiah’s coming, the promises fulfilled, and the life Jesus gives with family and friends.

Have a merry and wonderful Christmas!

The post Wonderful: God is Faithful first appeared on The Overflowing
Photo from Unsplash, edited by Jessica Faith
All Scriptures taken from the NIV, copyright 2011