~ GOD with Us ~

"WHY did Jesus leave heaven to come to earth? Such love defies reason or logic. ONLY God could have thought of such a plan, and only God's Son could have carried it out.

We cannot even guess what it involved for Jesus to put on humanity with all its temptations, problems and weaknesses. His willingness to come to earth to save sinful humanity is inconceivable.

THERE are many times when the trials and sorrows of this life are overwhelming. Loved ones fall prey to disease and pain and death. Friends turn against each other. THOSE who once followed the Lord now have no desire for the Word or for the house of God. Life's painful burdens cause us to cry out, "O Lord, when are you coming to take us out of all of this? How could You have left heaven for this?"

The Word tells us, "For your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9). JESUS left heaven and became a man! He suffered pain in His body, shed tears at the loss of a loved one, knew the hurt of being forsaken by friends and died in shame on a cross. WHY did He agree to do this? Not only so that we might have forgiveness from sin but that in time of need His loving presence would be our comfort. "His name shall be called Immanuel - God with us."

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel - which means, God with us (MATTHEW 1:23)."

JUDY FREELAND

* See associated post dated 27/11/2010 - Eternity!

* A 'SAFE place' !

"SOMETIMES in life's journey we pass through dark valleys of trouble. But in the midst of the darkness we have a refuge, a safe place, the eternal God our Saviour. His loving arms uphold us and shield us all day long. THIS verse ("The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" - Deuteronomy 33:27a.) was a source of strength and comfort to me while I was going through one of the most difficult experiences of my life.

AS my husband was driving our van homeward after an Easter service in a village church in India, a motor scooter with a side car came from the opposite direction. WHILE passing us, he suddenly swerved and collided with our front wheel. The impact pulled our vehicle over to the wrong side. We immediately helped the injured passenger to the hospital and reported the accident to the police.

BUT when the relatives of the scooter's driver saw the position of our car, they decided to bring suit against us. I was falsely accused of causing the accident by reckless driving.

FOLLOWING the initial hearing, I was shocked to discover that my lawyer did not believe I was not driving our vehicle. Soon after, however, he was convinced of the injustice of the case against me and defended me well.

God brought about my acquittal nearly a year later. But during those months, as I stood in the criminal stand and heard false testimony against me, I remembered what my Savior suffered for me. He understood what I was going through and gently drew me close to Him. His purpose was being accomplished as we witnessed of Him to lawyers and people in the court whom we would otherwise never have met. The eternal God was indeed our refuge." MURIEL ENTZ