“’Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’

which means, ‘God is with us.’  When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus”                                         Matthew 1:23-25

            No decree of registration, no lack of room at the inn, no manger, no shepherds and no swaddling clothes and yet He still comes and is still with us.

            Endless commercials of diamonds and cars, of games and toys, electronics and holiday clothes bombarding our senses from all angles and ways and yet He still comes and is still with us.

            Crowded stores with endless pressure to buy, buy, buy and spend, spend, spend at the grocery store or popular stores at the mall.  Crowds of impatient and “me first-gimme, gimme attitudes and yet He still comes and is still with us.

            Preparing for family and friends with desires not to disappoint and “everything needs to be perfect” swirling around our heads and yet He still comes and is still with us.

            Smiling faces and warm hearts felt without a word, or present, or a piece of perfectly basted oven roasted turkey and you know for sure that He still comes and is still with us.

            Beautiful hymns announce, “Hail, hail the Word made flesh, the babe, the Son of Mary” and “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” and

“It came upon a midnight clear” even though it’s 87 degrees in Tucson and we can’t do anything other than to realize that He still comes and is still with us.

            Candle lit faces with choirs and bells and a time of Communion with tears in our eyes or in the eyes of our neighbor because at that moment we or they know this to be true… He still comes and is still with us and that is God’s promise and it is sure and true.

            May the One who has come, who still comes and will come again touch your heart and soul in such a way this Advent and Christmas season that you share this good news… He still comes and is still with us.  From my heart and from my family…. Merry Christmas to all.

Pastor Dan
Contact Pastor Dan at: pastor@mtzionelca.com