The Mighty God

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon His shoulder,

and His name shall be called

Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God… 

Isaiah 9:6

Have you ever met someone who believes Jesus was just a commonplace human being—at most an unusual man, at worst, a fraud?  Our verse today proclaims without hesitation that the baby born in Bethlehem was and is, in fact, God.  The overshadowing of Mary by the Holy Spirit produced a child that was both human and divine – God and man in the same flesh. Impossible?  Human wisdom would label it such; but Jesus Himself said, “Nothing is impossible with God.”  [Mark 10:27] 

My oldest daughter was born with an entire syndrome of congenital heart defects.  When her life began to slip away, the doctors proclaimed that there was nothing that could be done.  Her condition was beyond the reach of human wisdom or medical science.  When we were informed by the doctors of the inevitability of her death, we turned to the only other source of strength we knew—the Mighty God, Creator of the universe.  We placed her in His hands – the only door that was still open when all others had slammed shut.

The next morning, as the dawn slipped over the rim of the valley, the doctors discovered that a power far greater than theirs had been at work during the night. God Himself had visited that tiny hospital crib.  Rather than taking life, the gift of renewed life had been bestowed.  How to explain it?  There is no explanation other than the limitless power of the One named the Mighty God.   

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I sing the almighty power of God that made the mountains rise,

That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.

I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;

The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 152