God's Promise of Hope for 2020

      This has been a year like none other, right?  But in the midst of heartache and concerns on so many levels, God's still on the throne of the universe.  That's been a big comfort to me these past months.  As this year is drawing to a close, I started writing up prayers like I usually do for my children and grandchildren. This is a time where I can focus on each child and their family. It''s always been a special time of reflecting on where they are on their journey and writing out prayers of encouragement.

       I also thought about making another flyer to hand out to neighbors when we take our walk. My husband and I wrote it together at lunch a few weeks ago.  The verse that came up in my heart was Isaiah 9:6:

         For a child is born to us, 

A Son is given to us, 

And the government 

Is upon His shoulder;

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor,

Mighty God,

Eternal Father

                                                         Prince of Peace. 

     :  It's amazing that the prophet Isaiah wrote this verse 700 years before Christ's birth!!  And if you carefully read this verse you'll see that the child born to Mary was unlike any child that had ever been born before. 

     Isaiah tells us that Christ would not only be the Son given by the Father but also the Mighty God and eternal Father Himself.  That may be hard to wrap your head around, but this is a window into Christ's incarnation.  

    This may make you wonder why did Christ come anyway?  As we were writing and talking as we wrote this tract, I realized that God didn't leave it up to speculation.  In John 3:16 we have those beautiful words that have been spoken millions of times:

For God so loved the world

That He gave His only Begotten Son,

that everyone who believes into Him would not perish,

but would have eternal life. 

    If you put these two passages together one from the Old Testament and the other from the New Testament, you'll see that the word give is in both.  The Son given to us in Isaiah 9:6 was given by God in John 3:16 for our salvation.  

    It's easy to receive this greatest of all gifts.  If you've never done so before, all you have to do is say from your heart:    Lord Jesus, I believe You died for my sins.

                                        I open my heart to receive You.  Thank You for 

                                        dying for me and coming to live in me.   Amen.