Christmas Mercy

Life has been a bit chaotic these last few weeks, having welcomed a new baby boy into our family. The last couple days, Zach has been getting good sleep, so we all feel a bit more rested. Since the sleepy mental fog has cleared a bit, I headed off to Starbucks today to find an hour or so of quiet. My goal was to contemplate the wonder and mystery of Christmas. I read Luke chapters 1 and 2 and just soaked in the Christmas story. What I found in chapter 1 was that the story was very much about God’s mercy, God’s tender mercy. He had mercy on Elizabeth and Zechariah, in giving them a son, because they were well on in years, and Elizabeth was barren. In Luke 1:50 & 54, Mary sings about God’s mercy. And Zechariah’s song in 1:67-79 is all about God’s tender mercy in providing salvation and forgiveness. That salvation and forgiveness is available to us today.

Mercy is for those who need it. It kind of implies a background of sorrow, desperation and need. Elizabeth and Zechariah had a great sorrow in their lives, but God had mercy on them. We are in desperate need of God’s mercy as well. We have lost our way and would continue to wander were it not for God’s great mercy. He offers it to us in his son, who brings salvation to all.

Jesus is the most beautiful and perfect gift to humankind, to me and you. I can’t picture that precious baby in the manger without thinking about his purpose and ultimately his death. Love I can’t even begin to comprehend. God’s great miracle that we celebrate and sing about at Christmas it too precious for words. His gift brings us salvation, forgiveness, and life. I’m amazed at the story of Christ’s birth: the wonder, joy, beauty and greatness. And I’ll be reminded of it this season as I hold my sweet baby boy and imagine that God would humble himself to become something so helpless, needy, fragile and completely adorable.