“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!”—Jeremiah 32:17, NLT
The baby Jesus in my nativity isn’t just laying there sound asleep. His arms are fully extended upward, tiny and tender but yet stronger than that of any man who ever was, seemingly lifted toward His Father and our Father who art in heaven. Arms of One-ness and dependency and love that were with God in the very beginning. And through Him and those arms, “all things were made; without Him, nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” (John 1:3-4)
His arms, reaching toward us, are everywhere.
Even in Isaiah’s fantastic vision, where the train of God’s robe filled the temple, it is good to remember that under that robe are the hands of Father, Son and Holy Spirit in creation, reign and authority, and the strong arms that laugh at the barbell workouts of this world's so-called mighty men and women. His arms are howitzers of howitzers and cannons of cannons—and while God is holy and glorious beyond imagination, He is zealous in making it clear that He doesn’t just float around out there somewhere in His ginormous robe. He has always been, and always will be, a totally hands-on God.
The baby in the manger with outstretched arms is a reminder that:
God doesn’t do awkward elbow or fist bumps. Never has, never will…
- His arms are never too far away and always within reach. (Isaiah 59:1)
- His arms, especially His right one, are victorious (Psalm 98:1) and strong (Isaiah 63:12) and mighty. (Isaiah 52:10)
- His arms are outstretched in love and longing to offer redemption to all who will believe. (Exodus 6:6, John 1:12, Romans 5:)
And especially in a year like this one, when big stuff and little stuff alike are beyond figuring out, it is good to remember that none of it is, or ever has been, beyond the reach of God’s outstretched arms. They are arms not confined by time or space but come to us and with us in peace and assurance on this journey of ups and downs. And often, they come with words like these that seem to be hitting home in a fresh, wonderful way even now…
“I don’t even begin to get involved in matters too big—matters of faith, state, business, or the many things that defy my ability to understand them. Of one thing I am certain: my soul has become calm, quiet, and contented in You. Like a weaned child resting upon his mother, I am quiet; my soul is like this weaned child. O Israel, stake your trust completely in the eternal God—from this very moment and into the vast future.”—Psalm 131:1-3, The Voice
…Not to become oblivious to the reality of things, not to be uncaring or un-praying, but to actively rest in His arms like that baby, to exhale, and to be still and know that He is exactly who He says He is—strong enough to carry the weight of the entire world yet tender and compassionate enough to hold the smallest, weakest, most helpless child of His in His arms.
That baby in the nativity? His Name is "God with us!" And even in 2020, He’s got the whole world in His hands.
No fist bumps.
"The God who lives forever is your safe place. His arms are always under you….”
—Deuteronomy 33:27, New Life Version
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