God With Us

Can you imagine the moment Mary first looked at His tiny face and realized she was gazing at the face of God?

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Matthew 1:23

As I reflect on the birth of Jesus and the journey of Joseph and Mary, I can scarcely imagine the emotions and thoughts they must have experienced. From the very first moment the angel appeared, delivering the message that Mary was with child and that His name would be Emmanuel—"God with us"—it must have been awe-inspiring. Breath of Heaven Mary and Joseph Song

Can you imagine the moment Mary first looked at His tiny face and realized she was gazing at the face of God? I remember when our sons were born, looking at their beautiful little faces for the first time, overwhelmed by the sheer miracle God had knitted together in my womb. And then there was Joseph, holding Him for the first time, looking at His face, counting His fingers and toes, knowing he was chosen to be the protector and provider of this baby who would save the world. Mary Did you Know?

I can still picture the moment Tom saw our sons for the first time—overcome with pride and joy, as well as the immense sense of responsibility, knowing they would rely on him for their every need and care.

When our youngest son, Jeremy, was born at the end of November, our local churches were preparing for a Christmas musical. They asked if Jeremy could play the role of baby Jesus during Joseph’s song. The gentleman playing Joseph had practiced many times with a baby doll, but when the time came for the performance, and I laid Jeremy in his arms, something extraordinary happened.

As he walked onto the stage and looked down at Jeremy’s face, tears began streaming down his cheeks. Overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit, he could barely sing the song. It was the most beautiful moment of the evening, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience. When he handed Jeremy back to me, he shared something profound. He said that Jeremy had looked straight into his eyes with such complete trust and peace that, in that moment, he felt he understood a fraction of what Joseph must have felt holding the Son of God. Joseph’s Song

My prayer for each of you is that you will truly know that God is always with you and take time to reflect on the beautiful gift we have been given. Too often, we get so caught up in the celebration that we forget what we are actually celebrating. Just as in the days when Jesus was born, people were so consumed with life's events that they missed it. Don’t let busyness cause you to miss the greatest gift of all—Jesus!

While you were sleeping

Merry Christmas to All! From the Zuiderveld’s