God With Us.

“God was manifest [revealed] in the flesh”

(1 Timothy 3:16).

Just think of the magnitude of God taking on the form of a man, and becoming one of us. Because He loves us, He put aside the glory due to the King of kings and chose to be born where animals lived. He left a perfect place to enter this world with all of its evil and pain. He left the praise and worship of Heaven’s angels for the taunts and jeers of Calvary’s cross.

His coming happened like this: “[Mary] brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

Why did God become a man?

He loves us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

To save us: “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

For His bride, the Church: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready” (Revelation 19:7).

To destroy the works of Satan: “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).

To give abundant life: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

To bring a fire: “I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!” (Luke 12:49).

To bring a sword: “I did not come to bring peace but a sword” (Matthew 10:34).

The name of Jesus Christ causes divisions, persecutions, strifes, and troubles. The world did not welcome Jesus with open arms. Even most of Israel rejected Him: they were looking more for a warrior who would free them from Roman rule than a Savior who would free them from the bondage of Satan.

Jesus was asked when the Kingdom of God would appear (Luke 17:20,21). He replied that the Kingdom of God was already present—in fact, they were talking with the King! There were countless lost souls who failed to see His glory as He walked among the people. Are you like them, too wrapped up in your own life to see the importance of spiritual matters, or will you turn to Jesus Christ to receive salvation from your sins and His gift of everlasting abundant life?

My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will convict you of your need of Jesus Christ and draw you to Him (John 16:8-11). Do you want to be free from your burden of sin? Do you want life—eternal, abundant life? You can have it as a gift from God. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12).

Coming to Jesus is like crossing a bridge from death to life. You won’t get there by staying where you are. You must make the decision to cross over to God’s side. Turn to Jesus and call upon Him today. Ask Him to forgive your sins and save you. He will. After all, He left Heaven to do so! H.S. J.L.