“But God”
Christmas, rushing towards us, is a time of mixed messages and demands. We are encouraged to give to those in need and at the same time, are creatively targeted to desire items that we surely must want. We are implored to spend money on those around us while being admonished to have a simple Christmas. Adding children into the mix, we also hear their message, “but Mom…” So many voices vie for our attention in this season.
Embedded in the Christmas message is the tiny, three-letter word “but.” It is used to set up a phrase by contrasting something already mentioned. As we consider Jesus coming to earth at Christmas, the phrase “but God” is found throughout Scripture. The Blue Letter Bible has six hundred entries for the term. In those many references, God tells the story of Himself and of our need for Him.
God listens, God hears, and God sees the desperate human condition. In Genesis 19:29 we find, “But God had listened to Abraham’s request and kept Lot safe, removing him from the disaster that engulfed the cities on the plain.”
In the account of Hagar and Ishmael, Genesis 21:16-17 records, “Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. ‘I don’t want to watch the boy die,’ she said, as she burst into tears. But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, ‘Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.’” In the midst of their despair, God saw and heard them.
In Genesis 31:42, God saw the hard work and abuse Jacob experienced in his father-in-law’s house. The One True God sees, hears, and listens to our cries as well.
God is moved by our circumstances and responds to our condition. Daniel 9:9 tells us, “But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.”
Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)” Not only does the Almighty see our broken condition and hear our cries, but He lavishes His love, forgiveness, and mercy upon us.
God is moved by our sinful condition. Second Samuel 14:14 tells us, “All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.” Our relationship with God is broken, yet God created a way to restore it. Colossians 1:21 states, “This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions.” God’s plan leads directly to Jesus. He is the only way to restore our sin-damaged relationship with God.
Jesus, the Creator, came to earth as a baby. He grew up to become God’s way of salvation and redemption as He died and rose again. Amazingly, during the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, King Solomon proclaimed in 1 Kings 8:27, “But will God really live on earth? Why, even the highest heavens cannot contain you. How much less this Temple I have built!” Yet, that is what God did when Jesus came as an infant. The Almighty God lived on earth in a temple of skin and bone.
As we sift through the “but God” references, more of God’s plan emerges. In Deuteronomy 31:3 we find, “But the LORD your God himself will cross over ahead of you…” This declaration was given to the nation of Israel as the Hebrews crossed over the Jorden River into the Promised Land. Likewise, Jesus has gone ahead of us. He crossed over into death, resurrection, and heaven. Someday, those who follow Jesus will depart from this life and be with Him forever in heaven. In addition, our bodies will also be resurrected.
First John 3:8 tells us, “But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil” and 1 Corinthians 15:57 proclaims, “But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus, the Giver of Life, came to earth to give us victory over sin and death and make a way for us to enter the presence of the Living Lord.
For those who accept Jesus’ salvation and redemption, we are made heirs. Galatians 4:7 says, “Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir.” God also becomes our helper and encourager. Psalm 54:4 declares, “But God is my helper…” In 2 Corinthians 7:6 we discover, “But God, encourages those who are discouraged…” Psalm 73:26 says, “My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.”
When we follow Jesus Christ, we become God’s own children. Though we grow frail and weak, He remains the strength of our heart. God seeks to help us, encourage us, and give us His strength for each new day. These are some of the reasons Jesus came and why we celebrate His birth at Christmas.
Speaking of celebrations, on my mom’s 83rd birthday, I visited her in the memory care unit bringing cake, roses, a card, and a gift—all the things you do to recognize someone special. However, when I got there, her door was locked. I knocked but she did not answer. I knocked a little louder, and the man across the hall answered, but not my mom. I kept knocking and still she did not respond. I asked a staff member to let me in. My mom, lying on her bed, was excited to see me and her face lit up.
“I was just thinking that you forgot me,” she said as she sat up.
My mom is a picture of us. We are consumed by our circumstances. We think we are forgotten and slide into discouragement and loneliness. All the while, Jesus is knocking on our door wanting to come in and give us a new life as well as celebrate with us.
In our loneliness, discouragement, and brokenness, Jesus comes. He loves us so much and is knocking at the door to be let in. It is our choice to open it and invite Him in. As He enters, He forgives us, shares His new life with us, and restores our broken relationship with the One True God. The reason we can rejoice at Christmas is that Jesus is our “but God” moment.