Can you imagine not being able to breathe, think, see, smell, hear, taste or feel anything? You would be like a hard rock or a lump of clay.
In Isaiah 41:7, the prophet describes men carving idols, saying, “They join the parts together, then faster the thing in place so it won’t fall over.” In Jeremiah 10, the prophet says, “There stands their god like a helpless scarecrow in a garden! It cannot speak, and it needs to be carried because it cannot walk. Do not be afraid of such gods, for they can neither harm you nor do you any good.”
What a contrast to our God! We worship a God who can see, who hears our prayers. Through the Bible and his Spirit, he speaks to us. He moves under his own power. We do not have to prop him up or place him on a cart and drag him from place to place. Instead, he carries us as a father lifts his child into his arms. Our God is not made by human hands. Just the opposite! His hands fashioned us! He lives. He breathes!
But at Christmas, we worship a God who came down from heaven and entered our world as a baby. His mother, Mary, kissed the face of God! Jesus felt her touch and responded. She sang a song to him and he heard her voice. For a time, she carried him from place to place, but then he became a man and walked on his own. He spoke with his disciples. He touched their feet. He embraced the children. He lived. He breathed!
As John wrote in his first epistle, “The one who existed from the beginning is the one we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our hands. He is Jesus Christ, the Word of Life.” As you celebrate this season, remember to take time to thank God for the gift of his Son. He continues to touch our lives today.
