God's international rescue

When I was very young, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up – I wanted to be a member of 'International Rescue', I wanted to be part of the Thunderbirds team.

Indeed, I actually put this down on my careers form at University when I had to submit my thoughts to our rather ineffectual Careers Advisor. She responded by saying 'I hadn't lost my sense of humour!'

Thunderbirds were the ones to turn to when all other help had failed and there was no one left to do anything or to save the day.

Given the choice, I would have liked to have done a job share with Scott, the pilot of Thunderbird 1. The thought of having to be on my own in Thunderbird 5 deep in space for long periods of time was not one that I would relish.

Of course this was no more than wishful thinking – but at least I could dream!

At its heart, Christmas is all about God's ultimate rescue plan for humanity.

Christmas is about God coming to our aid, when no one else could do anything to help. When all else had failed, God took the ultimate step and came himself in the form of His Son. In the words of the famous carol:
Let earth and Heaven combine, Angels and men agree,
To praise in songs divine
The incarnate Deity,
Our God contracted to a span, Incomprehensibly made Man.
He laid His glory by,
He wrapped Him in our clay; Unmarked by human eye,
The latent Godhead lay;
Infant of days He here became,
And bore the mild Immanuel's Name.

Christmas means that help is always to hand, that we are no longer alone and we no longer need to be afraid.

Christmas is a daily reality and not just for 24 hours. Christmas is for life, not just for December 25th!

In our time of greatest need God came into to the world to save us all. The cry of the new born baby signalled to all the earth, the message of Immanuel; "God with us."

With love and God bless this Christmas time.

Keith