From Jim McGuiggan.... Call him IMMANUEL

Call him IMMANUEL

Half a million mourners followed the cortege of Victor Hugo to his resting place in the Pantheon in 1885. No wonder the French people revered him. He was more than an international playwright, poet and author; he was a statesman, lover of the poor and a Frenchman who loved France with all his heart. He grieved with France through its troubles and when the Prussians moved against Paris Hugo sent word from his safe home in Guernsey to the French capital, "I am coming to Paris."

On his way through Belgium a young Frenchman enquired, "Are you Victor Hugo?" and on being told he was the young man wanted to know, "Is it prudent to go to Paris at this time?" Hugo's immediate reply was, "It is very imprudent. You ought to go." The great man arrived just as the Germans were closing the last avenues of entrance to or escape from Paris. A host of hurting, worried and deprived French people met him and were enthralled with this one who had come to bear with them whatever was ahead and to imprison himself with them in Paris.

As P.T. Forsyth has taught us, It won't do to speak of Christ only as a hero but it is true to say that he came to bear with and for us the judgement of God that was on the rebellious human family. On his way to Paris Hugo had seen the Germans at work in the villages burned to the ground and on his way to Bethlehem and Golgotha the Christ had seen the human race at work and the awful destruction and loss. We might have thought with Matthew Henry that in light of our awful sins and desperate wickedness his name would have been "God against us" but no! When he acts as "God against us" it is because he is God with usand for us. Hugo appealed to the best that was in his people and Jesus dealt with the darkness that was in his people Israel and in us all that he might create within us the best that is in us. And so it is that the Immanuel baby is both our judge and our Saviour. What a holy Judge and what a gracious Saviour, who saw us in sin and error pining, who came and thrilled us with hope and made our souls feel their worth. No wonder we admire and revere the name of Victor Hugo and no wonder we fall on our knees and worship Jesus Christ. (Matthew 1:21,23 and Isaiah 7:14.)

2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.