In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. [. . .]
So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.
John testified about him when he shouted to the crowds, “This is the one I was talking about when I said, ‘Someone is coming after me who is far greater than I am, for he existed long before me.’”
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses, but God’s unfailing love and faithfulness came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart. He has revealed God to us. (John 1:1–5, 14–18 NLT)
God became man.
The Creator – the un-created one who has no beginning and will have no end – became part of his creation.
The Author of history entered into the story and became the central figure, the crux of the narrative, the axel around which the wheel of time spins.
This is the celebration of Christmas: “the Word became human and made his home among us.” And because of this, we can know him. And in knowing him, we can follow in his footsteps, becoming more like him with every step.
Dallas Willard puts it this way: to follow Jesus “is to learn from Christ how to live our total lives, how to invest all our time and our energies of mind and body as he did. We must learn how to follow his preparations, the disciplines for life in God’s rule that enabled him to receive his Father’s constant and effective support while doing his will.”
As we celebrate today the birth of Jesus – the Messiah who brought salvation to the world and redeemed all creation through his death and resurrection – let us not forget what it means to truly become like little children as we follow him. May we allow Jesus to become so much a part of our daily lives – our moment-to-moment living – that every word, every act, and every facet of our beings announces the Kingdom of God in our world.