Journey to the Manger: Part I

Meditation on Isaiah 7:10-16

With Christmas right around the corner, it is only fitting to do a mini-series entitled Journey to the Manger. Christmas as become for the most part nothing more than a commercial holiday with nearing no acknowledgment of the true meaning of Christmas. It is sad that the real meaning for the season is over shadowed with commercialism.

It is easy to get got up with all the chaos of the season: the crowds at the malls, traffic being heavier in the store parking lots, the aisles at the stores overflowing with people trying to get those last minute gifts. Are you in the midst of all this chaos? Are fighting the crowds?

While being in the midst of the chaos, are you focusing on the mission at hand? Or are you thinking of the reason for the season? It is for this reason that I am doing this mini-series.

I would like to draw your attention Isaiah 7:10-16: "Then the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!” Then he said, “Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of my God as well? “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. “He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. “For before the boy will know enough to refuse evil and choose good, the land whose two kings you dread will be forsaken" (NASB95).

I want to challenge you to spend some time meditating on the above passage this week.