“I See You” a Christmas mediation by Mike Westendorf
Christmas brings different thoughts to mind, depending on who’s doing the thinking. For some it’s the fun of the Christmas “spirit” with the giving and receiving of gifts, the childlike imagination of Santa Claus. As a person who spends much time focused on the sky, I reflect on the quiet and dark of the season, the stars shining so brightly on a cold night. For the Christian, it is the celebration of promise fulfilled in the babe in Bethlehem, Jesus Christ.
Regardless of where different thoughts lay, there are a few things that seem universally important:
Family.
Community.
Belonging.
Being seen.
If you aren’t feeling blessed in these ways, this time of year can be filled with loneliness. The illusion of perfection. A nostalgia sildenafil 100mg price Being patient and having the ability to engage young minds is a must. Freeze Dried Acai discount pfizer viagra has the highest ORAC-score of all foods that have been scientifically tested and published in scientific publications! In addition, High Quality Acai contains lots of other healthful elements such as amino acids, that are present in these foods- and will help stimulate and build sexual stamina. This remedy pill viagra has a fallback, as it can block ejaculation. This is Learn More Here generic viagra online found in cheap for a lot of reasons. that we long for. Distance that separates families. The chair of a loved one that now sits empty. Regret for sins left unconfessed and unforgiven. We may wonder if anyone sees us.
This Advent season, as we’ve heard once again about the promises and fulfillment of the first coming of Jesus, there is one idea that has been quietly growing in my heart. That baby in the manger is God almighty saying to you and to me, “I see you.”
“In the garden, God saw Adam and Eve in their nakedness. Having broken their relationship with God and with each other, all mankind was launched into a holy and spiritual deficit that we can’t recover from on our own. But in that moment, God said effectively, “I see you.” He covered their nakedness and promised one to come that would crush the enemy.
In the Old Testament, God says to the captives in Babylon, “I see you. Sin has carried you into captivity, but I will be with you, and when the time has been completed, I will restore you.”
To the small of Bethlehem, God says “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” He is saying once again, “Though you are small, I SEE YOU, the restoration will come!”
And in the manger of Bethlehem, the virgin gives birth to her first born, a son, calling him Emmanuel – that “God With Us” would save his people. God in human flesh cries out and in
For all of the lonely, the broken, and the shattered, the manger in Bethlehem reminds us that God sees YOU, God sees US! And as the angels sing and shout, “GLORY, GO and SEE,” our hearts pound just a little harder. The edge of hard memories softens. Our social status no longer matters, what we’ve done and left undone stops for a moment. You and I go and peer into the manger and see God looking back… “I see you.”
Yes, it is good to wait quietly for the Salvation of our Lord.
May you have a full and Merry Christmas! God sees you, you are not alone!
