Getting personal

The virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel, which is translated, "God with us."– Matthew 1:23

You may have received a letter recently and stared in surprise at the stamp. Instead of seeing the face of a famous person or historical figure, it was your brother and his dog.

In a test case, the US Postal Service licensed a private company to sell official stamps. For twice the value of the postage, customers could upload a digital photo of their choosing to a Web site, and in about a week they could stick first-class pictures of their wedding on their thank-you notes. Many people hope that technology will revive the lost art of sending a personal message by mail.

It’s good to recall that the birth of Jesus was the most personal message possible from God. An angel told Joseph that this miracle baby would be a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy: "‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us’" (Matthew 1:23).

Paul confirmed Jesus’ identity when he wrote: "[Jesus] is the image of the invisible God," and that all of God’s fullness dwells in Him (Colossians 1:15, 19).

God Himself came to earth in the person of Jesus Christ to save us from our sins. Could it be any more personal than that? – David McCasland

Once from the realms of infinite glory,

Down to the depths of our ruin and loss,

Jesus came, seeking – O Love’s sweet story –

Came to the manger, the shame, and the cross. – Strickland

READ: Matthew 1:18-25

God reached out to mankind with the arms of Jesus.

The Bible in one year:

• Psalms 129-131

• 1 Corinthians 11:1-16