On a busy night in Bethlehem, Christ incarnate, God in human flesh and bone, stepped down from heaven to join humanity. A squalling baby’s cry burst into the darkness of the stable; this child was the One who would grow up to save us all.
“And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:4-7 ESV
Although many of us are familiar with this story, what does this mean for us? Do we view it as a nice traditional story to be repeated every year? Or do we marvel at all this world-altering event means? There is so much richness in Christmas, so much more than we can fully grasp even in a lifetime of celebration and reflection. However, as I’ve been reflecting on Christmas this advent season, I’ve been pondering how Jesus’ birth displays biblical hope and shows God’s love for humanity.
"{We believe} in one Lord Jesus Christ
the only Son of God,
begotten from the Father before all ages,
God from God,
Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made;
of the same essence as the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven;
he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary,
and was made human."
~The Nicene Creed
Light Enters the World
“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. “
Isaiah 9:2 ESV
Light in the dark. God uses this imagery throughout the Bible to show his triumph over evil and his redemption of our broken world.
John announces Jesus’s birth at the beginning of his gospel this way: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”
John 1:5, 9 ESV
Jesus is described as the Light of the World. A glorious star lit up the sky and a host of angels announced his birth. God sent Jesus as our Hope, to show us that we were not forgotten and that God’s love and power reigns over the darkness and chaos of this world. The bright light of hope broke through the shadows of that night, the only true Hope sacrificing himself to redeem us.
Morning dawned, light burst through the dark, and Immanuel was born.
Redemption
“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. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”
Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV
These famous verses follow after passages describing the broken state of Israel. But God sees this pain and tragedy and He promises hope. One of the greatest Messianic prophecies in Scripture is given against this backdrop of darkness in pain. We see similar events throughout the timeline of the Old Testament. Ever since the fall of man, God was promising redemption.
Jesus’ birth was the culmination of years of waiting and longing for a Savior. Finally, God’s people got to see his rescue plan, and God stepped down to restore humanity.
God never once gave up on his people. All throughout their rebellion and exile in the latter half of the Old Testament, God was still promising rescue and showing his steadfast love.
God never lets darkness win. He has a plan to redeem this world and heal our hearts. Through the Incarnation and birth of Jesus, we can plainly see that God is not idle or uncaring in the events of our lives. This is what enables us to have faith and hope in the “even when.”
This Is For You
His birth proved God’s love for us. He loved us so much that he would stop at nothing to reconcile his world back to him. “Though {Christ Jesus} was in the form of God, {he} did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.”
Philippians 2:5-7
The Nativity account isn’t simply a nice story. If we truly believe that the Son of God stepped
down from heaven and became a man, this affects our whole reality and perspective. God is not distant. God is not unfeeling.
Rather, our God loves us dearly. He stopped at nothing to buy your pardon. He came into this world with the purpose of living and dying… for us. His beloved children. For you. His treasured son or daughter.
We are so unworthy of this relentless love. But such is grace. God’s grace.
Jesus’ birth redefines everything. May we not take it for granted.
"The world waits for a miracle The heart longs for a little bit of hope Oh come, Oh come Emmanuel" ~Lauren Daigle, "Light of the World"
Cat Thompson has always been blessed by honest, hope-filled words; and she hopes that her fiction and nonfiction writing will encourage those who are hurting, especially fellow chronic illness warriors. Her aim is to bring light into dark and share God’s presence and hope. Some of her articles are published at thewiltingroseproject.com, and she also designs graphics for The Wilting Rose Project and TCKs for Christ. She loves friends, cute puppies, snacks, reading, art, and chai. When not writing, you’ll find her with friends or books, learning visual and graphic design, or connecting with others.
Bursting Through The Darkness 
Thank you for having me, Autumn!
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You’re welcome! 🤗
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