Christmas Hope for the Grieving Mom | Intro Episode with Ashlee Proffitt
FREE CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL
To download a simple and free daily devotional that goes along with this episode and continues throughout this series go to www.themorning.com/christmas.
Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
ISAIAH 7:14
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
ISAIAH 9:6
To know Him is to love Him and to love Him is to trust Him. No matter what.
In this 4 week Christmas series we will get to know Jesus, the one we celebrate at Christmas by studying the names He is given in Isaiah 9:6 — in order that our hearts would love Him and trust Him despite the hurt and brokenness we may feel today.
Who is this Immanuel, this God with us?
Isaiah chapters 7-39 we see the call to trust God no matter the circumstances. Will God’s people, the Israelites trust Him or will they put their trust in foreign powers, their own strength and abilities, or will they trust the one true God?
In chapter 7:9 we read, “if you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all”. And just a few verses prior in verse 2 we read “the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.” That doesn’t sound like firm faith. That sounds like wavering faith. Shaking faith.
That sounds like my faith.
But do you know what deepens my faith. What helps to establish deep roots so that my tree of faith may sway but it will ultimately stand firm in the storm?
Knowing the character of God.
Knowing the character of God creates a foundation of love for Him that leads to ultimate trust in Him.
When our life has been turned upside down and everything we thought to be true has come undone — knowing who He is and knowing that His love for us is greater than all that surrounds us keeps our faith rooted in truth.
“Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”
ISAIAH 7:14
Immanuel means “God with us.” and ultimately the reason why we can trust God is because of this truth. Because of what Romans 8:32 says: “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”
We can trust God because He sent Jesus for our salvation — He did not even spare His own Son but gave Him up for us. That’s what Immanuel means - that God sent us His Son.
As Matthew Henry, the great Bible scholar says: “for, if He had not been Immanuel—God with us, He could not have been Jesus—a Saviour.”
These words spoken to Isaiah about the future messiah comes amidst news of coming destruction and devastation. (Isaiah 7) In fact, these impending circumstances were terrifying. It wasn’t just bad news, it was the life-altering-never-be-the-same kind of news. Maybe you can relate.
But here in the middle of this life-altering news, God gives the promise of a Rescuer. He says “the Lord Himself” – our perfect God and King would leave heaven, leave perfection to come rescue His children. But even more, even better news to a grieving mama is this: “Immanuel”, a powerful promise wrapped up in a word that means, God with us.
He would not just be our rescuer, He would entrench Himself into this world, into humanity, He would feel pain, He would suffer, He would be betrayed, He would taste death.
All so He could say I know. I know your pain. And you can trust Me.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
HEBREWS 4:15-16
Scripture gives many names or titles to Jesus, the One we celebrate at Christmas, but this name of Immanuel reminds us that no matter what we are walking through we can trust Him. Because He came. Because He knows. Because He is with us.
Over the course of the next 4 weeks we will look at 4 other names or titles Jesus is given here by God through the prophet Isaiah. In chapter 9:6, Isaiah stops right in the middle of prophesying about Israel’s impending captivity to the Assyrians, to give hope in the form of Jesus coming to earth -- an event that wouldn’t happen for some 700 years. What makes this moment additionally astounding is that Isaiah doesn’t prophesy the Jesus coming, but he goes into great depth about what it would mean for His people, what it means for you and me today and he does that by simply giving a list of Jesus’ additional names!
“And his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
ISAIAH 9:6b
And as we read this verse, we learn, they are not simply names; rather, Isaiah is attempting to help us better understand and know this Immanuel — this coming rescuer and Savior. Because to know Him is to love Him and to love Him is to trust Him. No matter what.
I pray this series of episodes points your aching heart to true joy and true hope this Christmas season.
Join me December 1 for the first of 4 episodes.
FREE CHRISTMAS DEVOTIONAL
To download a simple and free daily devotional that goes along with this episode and continues throughout this series go to www.themorning.com/christmas.