Wednesday, December 23, 2009

December 23: O Emmanuel

O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,
desire of the nations, Savior of all people:
Come and set us free, Lord our God.

Isaiah 7: 14
Matthew 1: 23
1 Timothy 4: 9

A 'mighty wind', the breath or Spirit of God swept over the waters
at the creation of the earth. (Gen 1:1)
Women are coached in their breathing as they labor to give birth.
You may be feeling out of breath from the last minute baking, housecleaning and gift-wrapping that leads up to the Christmas celebration... if so, please take a minute, and just breathe.

That breath is a gift to you from God. So is the next one.
And so on... you are being re-created throughout your life by
every breath that God gives you.
There's a certain freedom in knowing that at each moment,
we can make a choice to break old patterns, establish new ones,
repair a relationship, or nurture a new one.
Our past may form us, but it does not bind us.

"Emmanuel" means "God is with us".
The Deity is no longer an abstract concept out there in the ether,
but a living, breathing baby who grew to know and understand our
every need, desire, hope and fear. 
God is with us!
May that assurance leave you breathless!

(Still.... keep breathing.)

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