God's Fingerprint

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign.

Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

According to Matthew, Immanuel means, "God is with us." You see, Mary's miracle is one of hope for all of us. It's a miracle that says that God has not abandoned us to the consequences of our own sinfulness. Rather, God sent Jesus as our deliverer, and our savior.

Only a few years ago, just before Christmas, an unemployed mother in Dallas was sick with grief. Doris Young’s six month old son had just died from sudden infant death syndrome; and the funeral home wouldn't bury him until she could come up with the $700 fee. Heather Hoffman, a social worker was doing her best to help. "I made dozens of phone calls... but no one had an emergency fund for funerals," she said. Then one of Hoffman's coworkers put in a call to a local officer who frequently urged neighborhood residents to call her if they ever needed anything. The officer was not on duty, but Sergeant Williams was on duty. As he heard about the woman's plight, he sent out an alert to patrol cars citywide. Almost immediately, officers began showing up at his police station, handing over five, ten, even twenty-dollar bills. Within hours, Williams had collected the needed money and an additional $300, including cash from his own pocket. "Maybe my son won't get that special toy for Christmas, but this was a child who would never see Christmas," said Williams. Young cried when Hoffman called to tell her the news. "I didn't know what I was going to do," she says. "I would have been lost without those officers."

That is the miracle of Christmas. Jesus, the Christ child, turns our despair into hope.

Today's Prayer
Lord God, Thank You. You have given me so much. Above all, I know that Your Son, Jesus died for me. For that, You have my eternal gratitude and faith. In the spirit of thanks, I ask you to renew my mind. Make me grateful for all Your blessings. Let me not dwell on scarcity and loss. Take away my fears. For with You, I truly have nothing to fear. Guide me; strengthen me, so that I can bring the blessings You have bestowed upon me to a world in need. Amen.