A young boy who grew up in England during the dark years of World War II had a picture of his father on the kitchen table. His dad had gone off to fight in the war when the boy was very young. And years later, the boy couldn’t even remember him in the flesh. All he knew was the picture.

One morning over breakfast, the boy’s mother caught him staring at the photo of his father. She asked him what he was thinking about, and he said, “I wish daddy could step out of that picture and be real.”

When Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago, God Himself stepped off the pages of Scripture and became “real” to the world. What had only been written about and experienced by the prophets of old was now a reality for all people–the Messiah had come in the flesh!

We don’t serve a God who exists only in the mystery of the heavenlies. Our God stepped out of the shadows, came to earth, lived, and died so that we could know Him. So as you reflect on Jesus this Christmas, give thanks that He’s not some far-off God who couldn’t relate to us. He’s a real Savior who loved you enough to become real!

Prayer Challenge:

Praise God that Jesus is real–not some far-off deity, but God Himself in the flesh!

Questions for Thought:
Christianity is unlike any other religion in that we have a God who came to earth, lived, and died so we could know Him. How does that make our faith different than all the others?

What does Christ’s coming to earth say about God’s love for you?