Unto Us a Child is Born

I’ve shared before how often I get wrapped up in the doing and forget “being”, especially during this time of year. I love decorating our home, planning our annual prime rib dinner, and gathering as much of the family together as possible. Sweet nativity scenes, Christmas music, and once-a-year food indulgences take over my thoughts and actions. There is nothing inherently wrong with these things, but I want my focus to be the announcement of Emmanuel: God with us.

This year I am trying to refocus and concentrate on the declaration of what this child is to us. Isaiah 9:6 declares, “For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace.”

What is the answer to worry?

Do you ever feel you need a wonderful counselor? I do. A few weeks ago, I had given in to worry (my Achilles heel) and endured two sleepless nights. I fell back into old patterns, trying to control a situation that was not my responsibility. I needed my Wonderful Counselor, whose great wisdom is far beyond mine. When I reached out and prayed, “Give me wisdom, Lord,” He reminded me to seek wise counsel and allow others to help bear my burden. I shared my concern with my prayer partners, women I can always count on to pray. I prayed for insight and direction. God gave me both by revealing my need to control and then directed me to pray and wait.

I needed my Mighty God to remind me that He is the mighty one, not me. My desire to fix things gets in His way. I didn’t need to fix anything. I needed to surrender to the provision of God that was waiting and revealed to me three days later.

I needed my Everlasting Father, my “Abba, Father.” I needed to rest in the arms of God, allowing Him to comfort and reassure me.

I needed my Prince of Peace, who was with me all along, just waiting for me to acknowledge Him as my only source of genuine peace.

Instead of another sleepless night…

The night after I wrote the majority of this post, I had the beginning of another sleepless night. This time, I didn’t allow worry to take over. I prayed for insight into the reason for my sleeplessness. Then I did something I never do in the middle of the night. I opened up my email. A childlike giggle and huge smile came over me. Why? Because God has such a sense of humor.

At 3:17 in the morning, the top email was the daily devotional of Rick Warren titled “Worship is the antidote for worry!” Seriously, Lord? Thank you! I closed my email, and turned my unidentified worry into worship, thanking my Everlasting Father by naming the people in my life (past and present) who blessed me, mentored me, and nurtured me. It was a long list. I praised God for His provision, power, and peace. I refocused my gaze from the baby in the manger to adoration for my Mighty God, Emmanuel. God with me.

Even after sixty years of walking with Jesus, I am still like a lost sheep acting as if I can make my way in the world alone. God did not create me to be alone. He chose to be Emmanuel, God with me, and promised never to leave or forsake me. Ultimately I want to give my concerns to the Lord, but I forget and wander off. My Father in heaven longs for me to look up, acknowledge Him, and rest in His love, peace, and provision.

Look up! Emmanuel

This year, as I marvel at our God who humbled Himself to become the most vulnerable, a baby, I want to also move past the manger, to look up, and worship the God who is with me: My Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.

Rejoice in the miracle and the gift of God. Worship the King!

Blessings,

Personal parable practices:

What burdens can I give to the Lord?
Am I seeking the counsel of my Mighty God?
Do I need to stop and be comforted by my Everlasting Father?
Am I worshiping the Prince of Peace or only staring at the baby in the manger?

Personal Parables is the blog of Dyann Shepard. Get Dyann’s complementary study in Proverbs and prayer guide, What to Do When You Don’t Feel Good Enough. If you need encouragement to remember the truth about yourself in times of doubt and anxiety, this free 5-day study is for you. Follow Dyann and Personal Parables on Instagram and Facebook. Dyann is available for speaking, guest blogging, and article writing.

Scripture for Meditation

Rejoice! Meditate on these verses to go along with my new post, Unto Us a Child is Born. Merry Christmas!

Philippians 2:5-11 – Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, 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. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Luke 2:8-14 – Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: