God With Us: Lessons From the Incarnationਨਮੂਨਾ

When God Moves Into the Neighborhood

John doesn’t start his Gospel with a manger but with a mystery: the eternal Word—present with God from the beginning—took on flesh and came among us. That one phrase in The Message —The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood—says so much about God’s love. God didn’t remain at a distance, high and holy in the heavens. He came close. He came to us as one of us.

This is the mystery of the incarnation. Jesus, the living Word of God, entered our world, not in royal robes, but in swaddling clothes. Philippians tells us that though Jesus had equal status with God, he gave it up to embrace humility, even death. He became human in every way that we are—experiencing hunger, sorrow, joy, pain, and ultimately death. In doing so, He didn’t just observe human life—he redeemed it from the inside out.

The author of Hebrews reminds us that God had spoken in many ways throughout history, but in Jesus, God spoke clearly and definitively. Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory—the exact imprint of His nature. Jesus not only reveals who God is but also shows us what it means to be fully alive and fully human.

When I was growing up, I idolized Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls. Before giving my life to Jesus, I had given my heart to basketball. When I stepped on the court, I felt like Michael Jordan from the Bulls, but in all actuality, I looked more like Michael Scott from the office. I was tall, lanky, uncoordinated, and I lacked most of the skills necessary to excel at the sport of basketball. What I did have was speed, drive, and determination. I could run up the court quickly, and I was a savvy defender and rebounder.

All of this drive came from watching Jordan on TV. He was my idol and my inspiration. But basketball was never going to rescue me from sin and the brokenness I felt on the inside. When I took my eyes off Jordan and put them on Jesus, I found my way to God who is with us, and I found out what it meant to be truly alive.

The power of the incarnation lies in God’s presence among us. He’s not far away and removed. Jesus is our Immanuel—God with us. He didn’t just show up for a holiday visit. He moved in. He made himself at home in our world to heal it, to save it, and to show us the way to live. There is no place too messy for God not to be found. The Word became flesh and moved into your neighborhood. God’s present in your daily routine, your struggles, your relationships, your waiting.

Practice the presence of Jesus in your everyday life. Look for him in your neighborhood, and don’t take your eyes off of him. Maintain that constant connection with God by praying prayers like this:

Lord Jesus, thank you for moving into my world. Help me recognize your presence in the ordinary moments. Teach me to live with holy awareness. For your name’s sake. Amen.