than this, however, is the fact that He cares. This is why He devised a plan through His holiness and His justice, without imparing either, to bring you and me into His family. In this way He makes us the ob jects of His love and grace forever. He desires to share His presence with us. This is why the most glorious truth of all of the Christmas sea son is capsulized in the one word, "Emmanuel, God with us." It is the ly REV. RAYMOND ORTLUND On a bombing raid over Ger many during World War II, one plane carried an Army chaplain who had gone along just for the ride. Anti-aircraft fire was thick with enemy planes all around. Thinking to calm the men the chaplain got on the intercom and assured them, "It's alright, men! Have no fear: God is with you." Im mediately the tail-gunner shouted back, "Well, He may be with you guys up front, but He is certainly not back here." Seconds later a shell tore through the bottom of the tail fuselage, passing out the top. Miraculously, it did not ex plode. After a moment of stunned silence the previously worried tail- gunner hastily added, "Correction please — God just walked in!" Christmas means to me that God walked into the world through the Person of Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:23). No wonder His name was given as "Emmanuel," which trans lated means "the strong God is with us." Think how wonderful to have this strong Lord come into
source of unlimited joy and can alone bring that undisturbed peace we so desperately need. At this Christmas season may your joy be not only in the music, festivities, celebrations, delight of little chil dren, family gatherings and gifts but also in the complete realiza tion that God is both with you and for you. Dr. Kraft is Pastor of Twin Lakes Baptist Church in Santa Cruz, Calif. our human scene and lives. Christ came with us to identify with us. While He certainly existed in eter nity past, yet at Christmas He took on human form, coming to be with us in our feelings and sufferings. This is why He can be touched with our deepest needs. Because He is Emmanuel, Jesus knows what it is to cry, to be tempted, to be tired, to be ill, to be rejected. Emmanuel, God with us. No long er was His presence that of God in awesome nearness, but rather God in gentle nearness through gracious sympathy and divine love. God with us also means that God is for us. "He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, How shall he not with Him also freely give us all things?" Mrs. Harry Owens, former missionary to China, told about one unusual experience she had had. In 1934, the Communists were fast taking over China. Two mis sionaries who were forced to march day after day had an opportunity to escape. Eluding their captors they found themselves in some
God Walked In
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