God with us” – Al Gomhuria – 7-1-2015″

   Merry Christmas and happy New Year; I ask God to bring peace and happiness to all of us.

   The Old Testament contains many prophecies about Jesus birth, Isaiah’s “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14

   St. Mathew the Evangelist says, ” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall call His name Immanuel” Matthew 1:22-23

Here is the message of Nativity is declared: God is with us.

   God loved man, thus He created him and let him inhabit Eden to live there happily with God. God said, “And my delight was with the sons of men” Proverbs 8:31

   When man sinned, God opted to live with man at the tabernacle where we can see God amid His people. It is written in Revelation“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Thus you should realize how much God loves you and how He always seeks you. He only asks for your heart, to love Him back and follow His ways. He says, “My son, give me your heart, And let your eyes observe my ways.” Hence you would know the meaning of true happiness and discover His support that makes you overcome all your ordeals.

With God, we find wisdom

   With God, we would gain wisdom as God is All-Wise and Source of all wisdom, St. James the Apostle says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

   The life of righteous people was adorned with wisdom. One of the greatest examples on this is Solomon the Wise whose wisdom exceeded greatly more than any one on earth. “Then she said to the king: “It was a true report which I heard in my own land about your words and your wisdom. However I did not believe the words until I came and saw with my own eyes; and indeed the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame of which I heard. Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! “(1 Kings 10:6-7 the same goes for all those who live with God.

With God we find peace and love

   Our God is God of love and peace when Jesus Christ was born the angels sang “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”Luke 2:14

   God’s call was for love and peace. Jesus said during the Sermon on the Mount “Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.”Matthew 5:9

God also grants peace to man

   “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.“ John 14:27.Thus when God be with you, you will experience indescribable peace that no one will take from you as it is from God! This is the message of Nativity “God with us” and He will abundantly shower us with wisdom, peace and love.

Many Happy returns!

General Bishop

Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center