Read Isaiah 9:6  

Eternal Father

When Bilquis Sheikh’s marriage broke down, she returned to her family home at the base of the Himalayan mountains seeking refuge and peace. Over time, she was drawn to the life of Jesus, and began reading the Bible, but peace with God eluded her.

One day, as she shared with a doctor that she was “earnestly seeking God” he responded by encouraging her to “Talk to God as if He were your Father.” Back home, as she pondered this, she thought of her own father, who always made time for her, and was always ready to listen. “Wouldn’t my heavenly Father be like that?” she thought to herself.

She got down on her knees and began praying, “Oh Father, my Father…Father God” and immediately felt His Presence in her life. From that moment on, her life was transformed, and she was at peace with God.

She recounts her experience in her book, “I dared to call Him Father.” It’s an appropriate title because her religious background had taught her that God was far away and aloof – a person could never conceive of God in such an intimate way as a Father.

Yesterday we reflected on Jesus as the Mighty God Who destroyed sin and death, but today’s name, “Eternal Father”, draws attention to Jesus’ love for us.

The Promised Son Isaiah speaks of will reign over His people with the same tenderness and love a father shows his children. It highlights that Jesus is God, but by calling Him Father, we are comforted by the fact we dwell under the safety and security of His love, as members of His family.

When Bilquis Sheik came to know God as her Father she said, “I could sense His Presence, love and compassion, and I found myself talking to Him.”

She dared to call Him Father – will you?

The manger was a rough, stone trough – a far cry from the elaborate, polished versions you see in modern Nativity scenes – which was used for the feeding and watering of animals.

All of this emphasizes the humble circumstances of the birth of Jesus. The Creator and Lord of the Universe, the King of Heaven and earth, is born into a poor family and not in one of the great cities of that time – Rome or Athens or even Jerusalem – but in an obscure village in Judea.

Why?

He did it for us.

Paul wrote that “though He was rich, Christ became poor for us that we might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9) What did he mean when he said, “Jesus makes us rich?”