God In Us

I ruined Christmas and it was only breakfast.

I flung careless words that scraped and bruised. Defeat shone in my husband’s eyes.

I stained and marked a day that was supposed to be fun and joyous with anger and frustration.

I asked my husband to forgive my careless words. He forgave, but the hurt lingered.

I turned to my Heavenly Father. I wondered why He would want to come to us?

When we don’t fling bullets we trade barbs which kill in a different way.

We tear down and wear down those we love then wonder why folks are distant.

Bitterness eats away at our hearts, jealousy rots us from within, chasing pleasure only leaves us with dust in our mouths.

Yet God came. He came to dwell with us. . . Immanuel. He walked out of heaven, off His throne, away from constant adoration, and stepped into flesh. Not only flesh, but became a helpless baby in a womb.

My mind cannot wrap around all the things He gave up to be with us dirt-people who chase after dust.

He lived the vast majority of His life in obscurity. The life of a carpenter learning His earthly father’s trade and His Heavenly Father’s religion.

He ministered for three short years and willingly died on the cross that we may live. . . forever. . . with Him.

It takes my breath away. He died so the stain I put on Christmas Day could be washed away. He came to dwell with us and He died so He could dwell in us. That changes things.

For those of us who acknowledge Jesus as Lord of our lives and accept His sacrifice for our sins on the cross, God dwells in us not just with us.

Jesus came to be Immanuel and when He left, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be God in us. Oh, praise God that He did not only come to be with us, but died to be in us.

And with God in us the stains of our sin are washed away. . . We are free from sin and death. . . We are filled with the God who spoke the Earth into motion.

Remembering this changes the way I see this world. Knowing this truth, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

That really got me this week. What really got you? Link-up. I can’t wait to hear what God is doing in your life.