Life is tough. That is not a profound statement, I know, but it is quite true. Isn't it?
The thing about life is that you are always either in a trial, coming out of trial or about to begin a trial...sometimes whether you know it or not.
We live in a fallen world, contaminated by sin. Jesus Himself never denied this fact. He assured us there would be trials and temptations and hardships throughout this life. You do not have to live very long to know this to be true.
That is why I so love the bookends of the gospel of Matthew.
The red curtain is pulled back on this dynamic book as we hear the cries of the God-Man, appropriately proclaimed as "Immanuel", God with us.
Then as the curtain closes on the last words penned by this Hebrew tax collector we hear the promise of the ascending Savior, "I will be with you to the very end of the age."
With us. The "withness" of a holy God is quite profound. A holy God. THE Holy God. A fallen, wicked, depraved people. Yet He is the "with us God", our Immanuel.
After lunch my boys take an hour to be quiet and read to themselves...really it's more my own sanity than for them...but it works well, just the same. Anyway, the other day as I walked out of my son's room during reading time he stopped me.
"Mom?"
"Yes, dear."
"Would you stay and cuddle with me while I have my reading time?"
Feeling the pull but not wanting to disrupt his quiet reading time..."Well, it is really not time to chat with me or your brother right now, just time to be alone and quiet and read."
"I know, Mom, I will read. I just like you to be with me."
How could I not consent to that?!
How does our perfect, loving Father not consent to that call from His child?
As a matter of fact, it was His idea! He opened the prophet Isaiah's mouth with the prophecy that "They will call Him Immanuel-- which means God with us." Then he punctuated His life on Earth with the echo, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Why? Because our God knew we needed Him just to be with us and cuddle as we walk through the darkness of this shadow called life on Earth. Regardless of where life finds you and I today, we can rest assured that our Father is WITH US holding us with everlasting arms!
3 comments:
This idea of bookends has been with me since I read your post last night. Helped me to look at the book of Matthew with different eyes. Also pondering things like God being the alpha and omega, how He surrounds us on all sides and how He may even bookend our lives with the Truth that brought us to Him at salvation may be the same Truth that completes our testimony as we are brought Home. Thanks for giving me so much to ponder today. Hugs!
Well said, our Heavenly Father feels for us....like we do our children
Such a timely word for me today! Just being reminded that God is with ME! I love the bookend thought as well. It does change the perspective. Thanks!
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