PAIN BEFORE PEACE

 

In my soul there is pain, but God’s presence residing in my soul provides PEACE.

In my soul there is weakness, but God’s presence residing in my soul provides POWER.

 

JESUS…EMMANUEL…”God With Us”  He is aware and He is Able!

 

Psalm 30:5  The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter. / Weeping may stay for the night, but JOY comes in the morning.  HOLD ON MY CHILD.

 

The Pain of Child Bearing.  I have been thinking of the most glorious experiences of Life!  Watching my oldest daughter who is now 3 weeks away from giving birth to Lennon Piper suffers from the discomfort of pregnancy, soon she will cry out  as she labors in the pain of what then will be the culmination of ultimate JOY and PEACE!  The Lord blessed me with 4 amazing children.  I was present at the birth of each one.   My second has been blessed with 3 children, my grand children.  I was present at the birth of each one.

 

The physical pain was so difficult to endure…but the JOY to come would overcome that pain.

 

John 16:21-24  A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.  So with you:  Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

 

JESUS came as a child who was at the same time fully God and fully man.  He came into the world (the incarnation)…as the Messiah Son of David – ”King Jesus” but He chose to reveal himself as Messiah Son of Joseph…Servant Jesus.  When He came, with his humanity came pain for even Mary, the one who would bring this lowly KING into the world.

 

As you think of Mary and the birth of Jesus this Christmas remember that PEACE comes from PAIN.   You cannot have one without the other.

 

What are you going through?  Is life hard?  Hold on my ‘child’…my friend.  Joy comes in the morning…your weeping will only last for the night.  But, that is only true if you CHOOSE LIFE…If you choose to recognize that this Christ Child was in fact…the SON of the living GOD.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS.  May your Christmas be filled with His PEACE!