“Peace on earth, goodwill to men” is an oft-repeated phrase during the Christmas season. But maybe right now, you feel like that sentiment is the furthest thing from the truth. Maybe you even feel like God has forgotten you. If that’s where you find yourself today, be encouraged that you are not alone, and you are not the first to feel this way.

God’s chosen people, Israel, surely felt like that, as well. For generations, God had delivered them from their enemies, spoken to them through His prophets, performed dazzling miracles on their behalf, and fulfilled countless promises and prophecies. Then, all of the sudden – silence. For hundreds of years.

I’m sure they must have wondered why God had abandoned them. And what about the prophecies yet to be fulfilled – especially those of the coming Messiah? Although God was silent during those dark years, He was not absent – no, far from it. He may have been quiet, but He was still at work, faithfully orchestrating the salvation of humankind. You see, even though God’s timetable may not make sense to us, it is always perfect.

The Bible tells us ‘when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.’ The silence was finally broken with a prophetic word, and shattered with a newborn baby’s cry. The Messiah – God with us, Emmanuel – had finally arrived. Not as a conquering king, but as a humble child.

Jesus would live and labor in obscurity for the better part of thirty years before beginning His public ministry.  He performed amazing miracles and preached with power and authority like none before Him, but also gave His time and attention to the weak and forgotten – the outcasts of society.

Many people began to follow Him for various reasons: maybe they were in need of healing, or intrigued by His teaching, or just wanted to be entertained. Some even began to believe that He was, indeed, the Messiah that had been promised long ago, and their hopes were confirmed when He proclaimed, “I and My Father are one.”

The religious leaders, however, were not amused. You see, they had acquired great power over the people by claiming to speak for God, while imposing harsh requirements that God had never commanded. The more popular Jesus became, the more they saw their power slipping away.

They decided that the only remedy to the situation would be the death of this Jesus of Nazareth. These leaders devised a twisted plan in which Jesus was arrested, tried on false charges, and condemned to death. He was beaten, mocked, and nailed to a cross. The perfect, sinless Son of God experienced unimaginable suffering on our behalf, faithfully bearing our sin and taking the punishment that we each deserve.

With Jesus dead, His followers were left to wrestle with what had transpired. They were so sure He was the Messiah. Now they felt confused and abandoned. But just as during those centuries of silence, God was at work, even when things looked hopeless. You see, on the third day, Jesus came back to life again, victorious over sin and the grave. God’s promise of a Savior was faithfully fulfilled through the death and resurrection of His only Son, and it is only through Him that we may have forgiveness of sin and eternal life.

No matter how dark things seem to be in our lives or in the world around us, God is still on the throne, and He is working all things for the good of His children. It is my hope and prayer on this Christmas Day that each of you have experienced the joy and peace that only comes from a relationship with Jesus, the steadfast Savior. He offers His faithful, unchanging love to each of us – will you accept His gift today?

If you would like to know more about beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ, I encourage you to visit PeaceWithGod.net.

Merry Christmas!