Jim Mann
The Bible is the story of God moving in human history. His greatest interaction with humanity is what we celebrate every Dec. 25.
As we prepare our hearts for Christmas, we’ll read again that old, familiar Christmas story. As you read that historical account, what you will see is a description of the move of God. Since God never stopped moving after that first Christmas, since He still intervenes in history, since He still moves in the hearts of his people – we can learn from this story how God moves.
How does God move? God moves unexpectedly. The coming of a Messiah certainly wasn’t unexpected, but how this Messiah appeared definitely was. He wasn’t born in a capital city to nobility, in a palace with attendants. His mother was a virgin. His adoptive father was a laborer. He was born in the backwater town of Bethlehem. In a stable. His attendants were sheep and their shepherds.
How does God move? God moves miraculously. I mentioned the virgin birth. I mentioned the fulfilled prophecies in the Old Testament. There were divine dreams and visions. The Magi followed a star that led them to Bethlehem. And, of course, there was the fact that you have a child, in Jesus, who is both human and divine.
How does God move? God moves incarnationally. That simply means that God moves personally – in the flesh. God was not afraid to come to earth and get His hands dirty. He didn’t send angels or solicit human assistance. He sent his own Son…in person.
How does God move? God moves deliberately. God gave us what we needed in Jesus. He didn’t get us a “gift” and hope we’d like it. He knew that gift was exactly what we needed. Years before, when the world needed a rescuer, God gave us Noah and his ark. When the Hebrew people needed a deliverer, God gave them Moses. When Israel needed a king, God gave them David. When they needed direction, God gave them the prophets. We needed a savior. God gave us Jesus.
This Christmas I want to encourage you to open your heart to God’s move. He might surprise you. Do you need a miraculous physical touch from God? A miraculous emotional healing? It’s certainly not beyond God to meet those very personal needs and give you exactly what you need. He’s done it over and over and he’ll do it again.
Join us in December for our sermon series “A Weary World Rejoices.” Merry Christmas!
Jim Mann, Ph.D. pastors New Life Church at Robson Ranch. This interdenominational church meets at the Robson Clubhouse on Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m. Visit www.newlifedenton.org for more information or www.drjimmann.com.