For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:17 RSV

Jesus is a gift of love for us through a virgin by God’s Holy Spirit. That is the first time God experienced for Himself our fleshly struggles. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty …, I was a stranger …, I was naked …, I was sick …, I was in prison and you came to me.” (Matthew 25:35-36)

For four thousand years mankind had experienced good and evil by taking what they needed and wanted from other humans that those same other humans had taken from them. Back and forth we hurt, maimed, and killed other humans who we feared and blamed for our hunger and displeasure. We still act that way and build our armies bigger and stronger than all others.

The Jews hoped for a powerful male leader to conquer all other people whom they called enemies. The Apostle John says “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4: 24) Does spirit have physical feelings like we do?

For thirty years Jesus’ birth gave God a fleshly experience of our daily human fears and conflicts. Thus, God feels our suffering, so with Jesus’ birth and death the Father paved the way for us to experience that eternal peace now and at the end of this fleshly life.

God draws us to Jesus as a gift of hope. When we receive God’s Son we open that gift to receive in us the Holy Spirit, giving us joy and peace in the middle of present conflicts, and the faith to hope for the Tree of Life eternally. “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” (Revelation 22:14)

Remind us, Lord, every morning to give thanks for the gift of Jesus and sense the presence of the Holy Spirit’s direction.