Immanuel

This morning, as my family slept, and all was quiet, I spent some amazing time alone with our Maker. It amazes me that in that quiet hour, I can be SO CLOSE to Him that I can feel His breath on my face. I can feel the warmth of His love in such a tangible way! It amazes me even more that He loves us enough to allow us to experience Him on such a personal level.

I was reading the status updates of my friends on Facebook when a church friend of mine for many years (most of my life) posted this: "When our lives look like a mess, we can remember why Jesus was called Immanuel.
"They will call him Immanuel, which means 'God is with us.'" Matthew 1:23"

Wow. You know, that just goes right along with what I'm feeling. On this Christmas Eve, I'm feeling completely overwhelmed. Not in a stressful, shopping overload and too much candy making to be done sort of way. But, I'm overwhelmed with His love. I feel His presence so strongly in my life that I just find myself wanting to fall on my face and worship Him. What has me so completely overwhelmed emotionally and mentally is that, as Matthew 1:23 tells us, He is with us. Not only did He create us, but He joined us. He was born into a physical body to be with us. Immanuel-God with us! He loves us THAT MUCH! Can we even begin to fathom His AGAPE love? What is AGAPE love?

Webster's dictionary defines "agape" in 2 forms, first as a noun, and also as an adjective or adverb.





1aga·pe noun \ä-ˈgä-(ˌ)pā, ˈä-gə-ˌpā\
Definition of AGAPE

1
: love feast
2
: love 4a

2agape adj or adv \ə-ˈgāp also -ˈgap\
Definition of AGAPE

1
: wide open : gaping
2
: being in a state of wonder

Did you catch that? being in a state of wonder. That's pretty much how I feel ALL the time when I think of God's love for me! So, Immanuel means God is with us. I mean He is WITH US! And, that, my friends, leaves me in a state of wonder. He came, as a helpless baby. Not for himself. I mean, he's GOD. It served HIM no purpose to put Himself through the torture He endured here. He did it for US. To reconcile us to Him. Because He loves us THAT MUCH that He desires to have that face to face relationship with us.

My own husband doesn't love me THAT much.

And love feast. Isn't that really what His love is? I mean, He wants us to feast on His love. He wants us to CRAVE Him, like the desert craves the rain!

This Christmas Eve, let's remember what we're celebrating. Let's take time to stand in wonder of the Love Feast He's offering us, and the fact that over 2000 years ago, IMMANUEL came. God With Us. Let's not forget that He is with us, and include Him in His own celebration :)

Merry CHRISTmas!!!!!!!!

The Gift of LOVE

I've been pondering the Christmas Season a lot lately. I know why WE celebrate it, and it breaks my heart to see HOW it's celebrated by so many. Now, don't get me wrong, if our financial situation were better, there would be a few gifts under the tree for our children. I don't see harm in giving gifts during this time, but I do have to sit and ponder on how over the top we go on this gift-giving escapade.

This is CHRISTMAS. It irks my skin to get CHRISTmas cards that say "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays", etc. I do not care how the holiday originally began as "Winter Solstice" as a pagan celebration of winter. I'm not pagan. I'm CHRISTian.

And I'm also tired of hearing that it's all about family. No, it's not. Family is someone you should want to celebrate such a joyous event with, but that's not what it is about. What WE are celebrating is the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. His sacrifice did not begin on Crucifixion Friday! It began when He made the decision to leave His Heavenly throne, and come to earth, as a BABY. He didn't just transport down here as a royal king, or some other noble. He actually went through conception, growing in His mother's womb, birth, nursing at her breast, unable to walk, talk, or do ANYTHING for Himself. He went through the terrible two's! He went through puberty. He was completely FLESH. He suffered physical pain. He suffered grief. He suffered. He did it for US. I mean... how can we discount what our Lord and Savior sacrificed simply by choosing to be BORN as a HUMAN? His birth began a journey of the most unimaginable LOVE ever walked. NO ONE could ever show the enormous love for us that He showed by deciding to be born as a helpless babe. He knew what we were capable of, yet He chose to trust Himself into our care anyway!

What if Mary had been like some modern day mothers who suffer PPD and murder their children, or leave their children at the door of an emergency room? What if she hadn't been the virtuous woman that she was? What if Joseph hadn't believed the angels and had left Mary to shame? Who would have believed that the SAVIOR could be born of what they would have perceived as a harlot? Of course, God's plan is perfect, and none of this did happen, but what if it had? Have you ever just sat, and thought about the sacrifice He made. not starting in the Garden of Gethsemane, but starting when the Holy Spirit combined His seed with Mary's, and conceived the Christ child!?

So, instead of rushing out to buy the best, most expensive gifts for your loved ones, why not take a moment to share the PERFECT gift with them? Remind yourself, and then your family and friends, WHY we are celebrating. It's because of His AGAPE Love that we celebrate, and His sacrifice. Not because we want a new camera, or because little Johnny wants a new Playstation. It's because He came, as a humble BABY, and sacrificed it ALL so that we could be reconciled to Him, and spend eternity with Him. Have you accepted that perfect gift? If not, what's keeping you? Time is not guaranteed, and you may not have another chance. You'll never go back from God's love :) There is no greater gift :) I'd be happy to talk to you if you have questions about this gift. I can be reached at brooke@bythebrookephotography.com

MERRY CHRISTMAS!