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 word "Flesh" is quite 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). The glorious fact of the Incarna-tion has *perpetual* power. The still flesh-bound Messiah’s body is in heaven today, but this reality does not mean that He is not *just as* active in His church now (as He was in the days of His bodily earthly sojourn).
Therefore, in this joyous Advent season, let all God’s humble and faithful churchmen remember that The One who "became flesh" for us is *still* with us, (“Immanuel”). 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"]
