It is hard for me to believe that Christmas is here. I love this season with its lights, hospitality, and the remembrance of the birth of our Savior. I particularly love the beautiful carols we sing at Christmas time.
Charles Wesley wrote the very well-known carol, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” The second verse of this Christmas carol holds some amazing theology. It declares:
Christ by highest heav’n adored, Christ the everlasting Lord!;
Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a Virgin’s womb;
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity….
Christmas is about the incarnation of Jesus. It is the story of his humble birth. Our Christmas celebrations are not just about parties, or gifts, or even time with family. As special as all those things may be, fundamentally Christmas is the powerful truth that God became man – one of us.
As a man, Jesus perfectly represents the Father as the embodiment of God. To see Jesus was to know the character and nature of God. In flesh, man could see God.
The miracle and wonder of Christmas continues as Jesus dwells in the heart and life of every one of His followers. “Jesus followers” are often called collectively, the Body of Christ. We represent His nature and character as His hands, His feet, and His voice to the world.
The truth of the incarnation is especially precious to me at World Concern. Our work is built upon His incarnational example. We go to the hard places, to the end of the road, to the places of greatest need. At the point of intense need and suffering, we’re there, in the flesh, being Jesus to a broken world.
At this beautiful time of year, I want to thank you for all that you do to represent the love of Christ to our world. May He bless your celebrations with His presence. May He fill your hearts and homes with His peace. And, may His tender mercy which we have experienced and now share, continue to be the reason for all we do.
Merry Christmas,
Jacinta
