“We meet with our Maker in prayer and worship, so we are better prepared to meet our Maker in death.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – December 20, 2021
And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. John 1:14, AMP
Just as the Lord dwelt with His people in the tabernacle of worship, so He also came to earth and tabernacled with us in the person of His Son, Jesus Christ. He gave us the gift of His presence. It is soothing to our souls and brings security to our hearts when Jesus is present. In the same way the presence of a parent calms a fearful child, so Christ encouraged those around Him with the grace of His healing and truth of His teaching. God is with us for us to be with Him. Christmas celebrates Christ’s presence on earth!
Before Christ, God’s people worshiped in the tabernacle, where the Lord revealed the fullness of His glory. Better yet, Jesus came to earth to show us the totality of God’s glory. He entered our world, as our Savior, to show us the character of the Lord. He displayed love to society’s outcasts. He extended mercy and hope to the downtrodden. He rebuked the greedy rich and praised the generous poor. He comforted the dying, healed the sick, and raised the dead back to life. God came to be with us to reveal Himself to us.
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him” (Colossians 2:9-10, NKJV).
Before Christ, the tabernacle was a place of sacrifice. Jesus came to earth as the final sacrifice for our sins. The perfect Lamb of God, without spot or blemish, wiped clean our blemished soul by His precious blood. What an unparalleled sacrifice from the One without sin on behalf of sinners. Thus, we follow our Lord’s example by offering ourselves as a living and spiritual sacrifice by praising and serving Him. God is with us to convict our sin, and He is our strength not to sin.
Before Christ, the tabernacle was the place to meet with God. After the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, we’ve become privileged to continually dwell with Christ today in real-time. His presence is not confined to buildings made by human hands, but His Spirit lives within us by faith. Do you meet with your Maker in prayer so you are better prepared to meet your Maker in death? Just a little talk with Jesus goes a long way towards walking in His will. God is with us to draw our hearts to Him in loving obedience.
“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 4:2).
Henri Nouwen’s insightful words sum up the gift of God being in our presence:
God is a God of the present. God is always in the moment, be that moment hard or easy, joyful or painful. When Jesus spoke about God, he always spoke about God as being where and when you are. “When you see me, you see God. When you hear me, you hear God.” God is not someone who was or will be, but the One who is, and who is for me in the present moment. That’s why Jesus came to wipe away the burden of the past and the worries of the future. He wants us to discover God right where we are, here and now.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thanks for living among us, so we can learn how to live for You, through Christ’s love and in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
During this Christmas season slow down and celebrate God coming to earth as the Christ child, and leaving His Spirit on earth to always be present with us.
Related Reading
Galatians 4:4; Philippians 2:7-8; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 1:1
Worship Resource
Lauren Daigle: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel
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