See there! The new-born Saviour see,
By faith discern the great I AM; 
‘Tis He! The eternal God! ‘Tis He
That bears the mild Immanuel’s name.

The Prince of Peace on earth is found,
The Child is born, the Son is given,
Tell it to all the nations round,
Jehovah is come down from heaven – Charles Wesley

God is the Almighty One. He is also Immanuel, God with us, ‘God Most High and God Most Nigh.’ Charles Wesley rightly said “Our God contracted to a span, incomprehensibly made man” – God with us, Who come to dwell in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Immanuel, God with us, entered space-time through a tiny village called Bethlehem 2,000 years ago. Galatians 4:4 says, “When the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive the full rights as sons” and daughters.

Jesus, the true Light, the living form of God ‘which gives light to every man came to the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him’ (Jn 1:9-11). Today, many are shutting their eyes and ears to Him and leaving God out of their ministry and life. Many today want to see God in their own terms and dictates. When they see and hear about God in His holiness and power they shut their hearts to Him, they refused to acknowledge the glory that shines from God to the world. Beloved, our eternity is in Immanuel because the plan of God is to spend eternity with you and me. People can get tired of being around you sometimes. God is always with you because His dwelling is with you and me.  We read in Revelation “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev 21:3). Emmanuel, God with us, is the singular meaning of Christmas and Christian faith.

What is true about the Christmas is about the Son of God, God the Son who identify with us but not to be identical with us because he was born of a virgin. He was not born with human sinful blood that is not able to perform holy sacrifice of God for human redemption. The Word became flesh, God became man to connect with us as God to die on the mission of love (Jn 3:16).  The reflection is that, incarnation make the resurrection possible. Without the deity of Jesus, Christianity becomes powerless and Christless. Immanuel, God with us, in His love came to our place. He took our place. And he invites us back to His place hence, ‘as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God’ (Jn 1:12-13). The truth is that, all who welcome Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives are reborn spiritually, receiving new life from God. Through faith in Jesus Christ, this new birth changes us from the inside out – rearranging our attitudes, desires, and motives. John Wesley had this experience of regeneration almost 13 years after his ordination.

The privilege of being a Christian is a result of believing in Jesus’ name, born again of the will of God. The Collect for Christmas Day in Methodist Worship book pointed out that those ‘who have been born again’ are made God’s ‘children by adoption and grace, may daily be renewed by your Holy Spirit.’ Christmas proves that God loves us and seeks us. It is possible to be a believer and still leave God outside our ministry and life like the church at Laodicea hence, during this Christmas, God is saying to you and me “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:19-20). From Genesis to Revelation, God’s plan is to be with me and you hence, Christmas calls us to be with God. Immanuel, God with us at Christmas, triumphed at the cross and empty tomb (Matt 28:20). HAPPY RENEWING CHRISTMAS.

Prayer: O Lord, help me not to leave you out of my ministry, schedules, and life.