Advent Day 23 — Love Incarnate: God With Us

Theme: The heart of Christmas — the Word made flesh.

If there is one truth that A Christmas Carol captures at its deepest level, it is that love changes everything when it draws near. Dickens wrote of human compassion and redemption, but beneath his pen lies a divine echo — the miracle of Incarnation, when God Himself drew near in the person of Jesus Christ.

In Dickens’ tale, Scrooge’s redemption begins when the supernatural invades the ordinary. The spirits meet him where he is — in his cold, dark room — and lead him into a new life. But in the far greater story of Scripture, God Himself steps into our world, not as a ghost to haunt us, but as a Savior to heal us.

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.”
Those words from John’s Gospel are the heartbeat of Christmas. Love didn’t stay distant. Love didn’t send a messenger from afar. Love came down. The eternal Son of God entered our weakness, our poverty, and our pain so that we might share in His glory.

Jesus is Love Incarnate — love made visible, tangible, knowable. In Him, we see the face of God and the fullness of grace. The manger in Bethlehem is not merely a sentimental scene; it is the meeting place of heaven and earth. The Creator cradled in a mother’s arms. The Infinite wrapped in swaddling cloths. The Holy One dwelling among sinners — not to condemn, but to redeem.

Scrooge’s story reminds us that transformation always begins with presence — someone entering our darkness with compassion and truth. For him, it was the Spirits. For us, it is Christ Himself. He is Emmanuel, “God with us,” not once a year, but every day, in every moment.

As you pause to view today’s artwork, perhaps a depiction of the Nativity or a modern portrayal of Emmanuel among the poor, let it remind you that God has drawn near. Listen to the Advent Playlist, perhaps to “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” or “Love Came Down at Christmas.” Let each note draw you deeper into the wonder of divine love made flesh.

This is the love that cannot be earned or lost — the love that dwells among us still, calling us to behold His glory and become bearers of His light in the world.