Wed., 12/11/19 Devotion (Jn. 1:14a)

Today's encouragement comes from John 1:14a, where we read these amaz-ing words:

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us . . . "

This Greek word for "Flesh” (here) is very strong. It connotes a sense of the Son of God fully entering into our fallenness and its resulting misery, etc.—yet, of course, with no sin of His own (either original or actual). But the fact of the Incarnation has *perpetual* power. Just because the flesh-bound Messi-ah’s body today is in heaven, this does not mean that He is not *just as* ac-tive in His church now (as He was in the days of His original earthly sojourn).

Therefore, in this joyous season, let all God's Christian churchmen remember that The One who "became flesh" for us is *still* Immanuel, "God with us." He has made His church "bone of His bone," etc., (cf. Eph. 5:30).

[Puritan quote of the day: "The happiness of man consists in communion with God and conformity to Him." —Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]