Christmas by Sandra McCrackenEsimerkki

“All Is Well” “Touch down to earth Here in a manger A humble landing In a quiet place Be still, oh stars Wait for the angels To sing their golden song of praise Your father’s arms tenderly catch you And your mother’s tears baptize your head Be still, my heart As light pours around us Wonder has found us, Emmanuel All is well, all is well God with us, Emmanuel” It is no surprise that the Charlie Brown Christmas movie is one of our all-time favorites. I love the Linus scene. Like the Peanuts characters, I often find it hard to believe that the story of Jesus, which Linus recites from the book of Luke, is a real story. It’s not a religious story or mythology, but a historical account. It really happened. When I visited Israel a couple summers ago, I was struck by the physical reality of the place, the familiar names, the scenes, and the towns. Jesus was a real person. He lived and walked on this earth. Still, sometimes it can be difficult for us to remember this truth or feel close to Him when we can’t see Him. Like a long-distance relationship or writing old-fashioned letters, sometimes it’s hard to stay present, committed, or to feel close to someone across miles and miles. Thankfully, with the incarnation of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit to bring us together, to rekindle awareness in our hearts, and to remind us that this is a true story, a physical story. Jesus meets us even now in our real lives. God with us, Emmanuel. What would it have been like to be in the room where Jesus was born? Take a moment and picture it. When my friend Cindy Morgan and I sat down to write “All Is Well,” we deeply pondered this question. I was about 10 weeks pregnant at the time, so the imagery was very poignant and real to me. I thought about Mary, about the physicality of her experience. About Joseph’s hands ready to catch the baby, about Mary’s tears falling upon Jesus’ head almost like a baptism. This was a real event. A miraculous, and wonderful event. The birth of our Savoir. God made flesh. And as many times as this story has been, is currently, and will be told, I always want to hear it in a new way, and always remember its physical reality. All is well. God with us, Emmanuel! Prayer: Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay, close by me. Set your love upon us. Bless all your children and comfort us with your tender care. Help us to know and believe that you are with us. Amen. (Adapted from Away In A Manger)