“Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).” — Matthew 1:23 (ESV)
There is no more powerful depiction of God’s love for us than Jesus stepping off His throne to humble Himself, take on flesh and dwell among men. Jesus coming down to us perfectly demonstrated God’s grace and desire to meet with man.
Imagine for a minute the sacrifice of Jesus. Prior to coming down to us, He was spirit, like God the Father and the Holy Spirit. He dwelled everywhere for eternity. He was in perfect communion with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus gave up the very nature of His existence that we might walk in restored relationship with God. He sacrificed being spirit that we might simply know God’s love.
Jesus was the heart of God perfectly personified. In everything He did, He clearly displayed God’s heart for mercy, grace, justice, redemption and empowerment for His people. He is the center of all history. All of creation looks to Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) tells us, “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.”
We serve the only King who would lay down His own life for His undeserving, rebellious subjects. We serve the only God who would step down off His throne and humble Himself before us, even to the point of death. We serve the God of perfect love who does nothing that is not completely drenched with His affection for us.
You can look at the life, death and resurrection of Jesus and know without a shadow of a doubt that God longs to meet with you. If Jesus would come to earth that you might receive redemption and restored relationship with your Heavenly Father, there is no doubt that He will meet you exactly where you are, right now. Jesus’ sacrifice was so powerful that it set you free to live in true communion with God.
Ephesians 2:4-7 (ESV) says,
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved — and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”
May you discover what it truly means to be seated in the Heavenly places with Christ. May you pursue all the fullness of relationship afforded to you by the powerful sacrifice of Jesus. May His coming to earth demonstrate its power in your life. Take time to fellowship with God today the way Jesus did. Walk as He walked. Experience today the fullness of life that only comes by meeting with your Heavenly Father by His grace and love.
— Craig Denison, First 15
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