A few weeks ago I found myself talking to someone on a train to London. He asked me “does God speak to us?” And if so, “does He ever speak to us through children?”. A drawing of Jesus in the manger by his 8 year old daughter had profoundly affected him, and grabbed his attention in the midst of his busy life. For the first time ever, he had found himself deeply moved in the depths of his heart by the thought that God might want to be with us.
That might seem strange to you. But it’s the truest thing in the world. Christmas tells us that God does indeed speak to us. He spoke to the whole world through a little child, His son Jesus Christ. The prophet Isaiah declared:
To us a child is born, to us a son is given…
Jesus is the ultimate expression of God’s love. He is Immanuel – God with us. Why? Because He loves us and wants to be with us.
This is good news for a weary and fractured world, for all of us who are stretched and stressed, struggling and striving. As we journey into a post-Brexit Britain, it’s worth remembering what else Isaiah promised:
“The government will be on his shoulders… of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.
This little baby turns out to the King of all the world. He meets us in our hearts, and brings together the disparate parts of our world, inviting all of us to discover life as God intended, life in all its fullness.
May you hear God speaking to you this Christmas, perhaps through a child. And may you know fresh hope and joy.
Rev Dr Rich Johnson
Vicar of All Saints Worcester
(www.allsaintsworcester.org.uk)
