The result of Jesus’ presence on earth is the possibility of an intimate relationship between believers and the Father. A closeness people experience living life as children of God.
Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:12-14)
But how does a child connect with an invisible father? A story is told of a little girl who loved to have her older brother read children’s books to her. It didn’t matter which story it was, and she would often ask him to read the same story over again. One day, the brother came up with a clever idea and he recorded himself reading the story and showed his sister how to push play so she could listen to him read the story any time. After a few days he noticed that it wasn’t working, and she didn’t like to listen to him read on tape. When he asked why, she replied, “because it doesn’t have a lap.”
We have the same struggle connecting with God since he is not usually experienced through our regular means, our five senses. People glean an understanding of some attributes of God through his creation, but the primary method of getting to know God is getting to know Jesus. People get to know Jesus and the life he lived on earth through the whole message of Scripture. Humans experience God through his revealed truth. A person connects to God by focusing on, believing in, and trusting in the truth that he has revealed.
Relational intimacy is about knowing. Jesus came to be with people on earth and his closeness with humanity is what makes our closeness with God possible.
The Word became flesh and lived with us. Today, Jesus dwells with the Father but the Holy Spirit dwells inside all who believe: “God with us.” God knows each person perfectly and closely. A person’s ability to feel close to God rests in intentional regular referencing, remembering, and relying upon the truth proclaimed about God, about the world, and about one’s place in it through the Word.
Charles Spurgeon wrote …’God with us’ is the source of exquisite delight. God with us all that “God” means, the Deity, the infinite Jehovah with us, this, this is worthy of the burst of midnight song, when angels startled the shepherds with their carols, singing “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Amen
John Riley
Jr. High Pastor