Brandie J. Muncaster: I Came for You.
It was Christmas Eve, and I sat in my car, alone in the parking lot of the park I had come accustomed to visiting when I had nowhere else to go. I smoked a mini-cigar to numb the pain I was feeling inside as I watched the house on the other side of the street that had caught my eye.
The house was lit with Christmas lights, and I watched people through the window as they talked, laughed, and enjoyed their Christmas Eve together. Although I didn’t know them, the sight of a happy family enjoying their Christmas Eve triggered inside of me the pain of rejection, which I had faced a lot of that year. Tears started to slide down my face, and soon I couldn’t control them.
Earlier that year, I was forced to leave my childhood home and figure out a way to provide for myself. I was eighteen years old without a career or a college degree. Because of this experience, rejection became significantly felt and known in my life. Rejection told me I wasn’t good enough, no one wanted me, no one cared, and I wasn’t important. Sitting alone in my car the night before Christmas, I believed it.
As I sat there and sobbed, I felt a peace sweep over me that I hadn’t felt much of in my life. I took a few breaths to calm myself, and I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, “I came for you.”
I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, “I came for you.”
~Brandie J. Muncaster, author of Garden Tales: A Seed’s Story
As I pondered what I had just heard, I pictured Jesus in my mind, coming down from heaven and being born to save me and be with me. I then became aware of what He was saying to me on that Christmas Eve. God sent His son Jesus to rescue me and be with me. I wasn’t rejected by him. He accepted me the way I was. Contrary to what rejection told me, I actually was good enough, wanted, cared for, important to Him, and that’s all that really mattered.
The way I spend Christmas Eve has drastically changed since that year, and I’m thankful for that. I am also grateful for the year I sat alone in my car, because the encounter I had with God changed my life.
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God with us.”
~Matthew 1:23 NIV
The message God gave us thousands of years ago, when He shared He is with us, still applies today. His Word records, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23 NIV). He came for all of us, to save us, help us, be with us and bring light into the dark places of our soul. He came to bring peace to our hearts when we are in a desperate position. He came to counsel us when we are triggered by emotional pain. He is a Wonderful Counselor, a Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. (see Isaiah 9:6 NIV).
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
~Isaiah 9:6 NIV
My friend, if you find yourself alone on this Christmas Eve night, please know that you are absolutely not alone. Maybe you’ve experienced rejection as I did. Perhaps you’ve believed the lie that you aren’t good enough, that no one wants you, no one cares, and you’re not important. Please allow me to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. God came for you, He is with you, and He loves you. You are good enough, you are wanted, you are cared for, you are important to Him, and you never have to earn your Savior’s love. That’s all that really matters.
How does it make you feel knowing Jesus came for you personally, to restore your peace?
Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son. Lord Jesus, thank You for coming for me. Holy Spirit, I invite You to bring Your light, Your peace, Your counsel, and Your love to the pieces of my heart that are hurting right now.
Amen.
Genre: Non-fiction
Copyright 2020: I Came for You: Brandie J. Muncaster: All Rights Reserved
Meet Our Contributor
BRANDIE J. MUNCASTER
Brandie J. Muncaster’s passion for writing is fueled from her desire to help people discover what it means to live and walk in their true identity in the Lord Jesus Christ. As someone who has known the powerful transforming work of God in her own life, she is passionate about seeing others experience the same. Through prayer, and applying the Word, she ministers the love of God.
Brandie is a devotion writer for VineWords: Devotions and More and Kingdom Winds.
She is the author of the children’s book Garden Tales: A Seed’s Story. Her work-in-progress is a memoir entitled A Story of Redemption, where she shares how God has brought inner healing through His Word.
Brandie is a conference speaker. She has ministered at Life Potential for Women Conference hosted by Jozel Kale and Luke Laffin; Forest Hill Church Women of Valor Conference hosted by Marilyn Chadwick and Stacey Martin; Southbrook Church Rooted Conference, and Southbrook Church Live Out Loud Event, both conferences hosted by Kathy Johnston; and other venues.
She is a member of Word Weavers of Charlotte; Hope Writer’s Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and Kingdom Winds Collective.
She and her husband have three children. She enjoys spending time her children playing sports, or visiting the coast or the mountains. Brandie enjoys reading, painting, running, and homesteading. She resides in Charlotte, NC.
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BOOKSHELF
This is beautiful, Brandie. Thank you for sharing and reminding us that Jesus is with us all the time.
Love this, Brandie.
Thank you, Martin.
Brandie this is ahhhmazing. I was fighting tears. You nailed the Christmas message, sister. I’m glad Jesus visited you in that way. 🙂
Thank you sweet friend! I’m glad Jesus visited me in that way too! Grateful that He saved my life. 🙂
Thank you my friend! 🙂