God Came Near: Jesus’ Humanity

GOD CAME NEAR- Jesus’ Humanity

(To go along with this advent devotional, we’ve also made a Spotify playlist! Check it out here.)

      It’s no secret, this year has been like no other! For some of us, this year has been a dry and desolate season. Some of us have experienced grief and pain. While many of us have felt physically, emotionally, or spiritually isolated.

      If you can relate, this season brings good news! This time of Advent– a season of anticipation and preparation for Christmas– is a beautiful time to look back and remember God’s incredible faithfulness to us in sending His Son Jesus! We also look ahead believing that faithfulness is God’s character. He has never failed us, and He never will!

      In the birth of Jesus that first Christmas– God became human! He didn’t have to put on flesh. He didn’t have to depend on lungs and a beating heart. He didn’t have to, but he chose to because this was His redemption plan! 

So the Word became human and made his home among us.  He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.  – John 1:14 (NLT)

      The humanity of Jesus is what brings light into dark places. His humanity is what tells us that it is okay to draw near to Him. He gets us. He’s been us. He experienced weakness, pain, brokenness, sickness, and even death. He felt tired, hungry, and thirsty just like we do.

      Jesus experienced sadness, joy, compassion, empathy, and even anger. All very basic human feelings, and Jesus felt them all. The book of Isaiah called Jesus “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” Jesus felt the deepest parts of Him moved when stung with grief.

Have you walked through difficult circumstances this year?

Have you experienced loss or grief this year? 

Jesus gets you! He relates. 

      Jesus brings us peace from His presence that the world cannot take away. He offers rest to those weary from grief. He lavishes His lovingkindness and mercy on those who feel unworthy. He extends his grace to the places that we are simply not enough. 

Jesus stooped to become us, to be with us.

      The Good News of God becoming human is that we have a God who came near! A God who is familiar with us, and willing to enter into our mess. A God who loved us enough to come to us, to be with us! To come as a baby, born into poverty, into political unrest, into our broken world. In the birth of Jesus, God showed up! 

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” – Luke 2:11

Reflect & Respond: 

Acknowledge:  First, we need to recognize the difficulties of this year. Write down the difficult places where you may have felt grief, pain, brokenness, weakness. In what way is it hard for you to believe that Jesus can relate to your humanity?

Posture:  Now, take a moment to consider this:  even in the places, circumstances, and emotions that are most difficult to believe Jesus can relate to you, He does! Breathe in the reality that Jesus gets you! He’s been where you’ve been, and He is not afraid to meet you where you are right now.

Prayer:  “Jesus, thank you for becoming like us in order to be with us! Because of your humanity, I can draw near with confidence that you get me. You get where I am right now. Thank you for loving me and meeting me right where I am today!”

(If you didn’t check it out before, check out this week’s advent playlist here.)