This year we know that Christmas will be very different to normal, with plans changed and opportunities to gather and celebrate necessarily limited.
But there is very good reason to celebrate nonetheless, because the message and meaning of Christmas are so relevant for the circumstances we are in.
One of the titles given to Jesus in the Bible is ‘Immanuel’, which means ‘God with us.’ The Bible says that in the birth of Jesus, God was coming and making his home right here among us, in all the mess, joy and complexity of our human lives.
And right now that message feels so important for us. It means that in Jesus, the God who holds our lives has walked where we walk and stood where we stand. He understands.
This year we’ve needed God to know how it feels to be human. We’ve needed God to know what it’s like to live as we have had to live.
We’ve needed to know that God isn’t distant or remote, but that He has chosen to be right here with us.
This year we’ve disliked it when people have sought to avoid what the rest of us have had to go through. Conversely, we’ve respected those who have stuck around and helped, who have chosen the path of service and put the needs of others above their own, as so many in our Wokingham community have done so brilliantly.
Christmas says that in Jesus we see God choosing that path in the most profound way. We see in this baby a God who doesn’t ignore our suffering, but who has experienced it himself, who has faced it and embraced it.
He understands.
That’s why despite the difficulties we have been through and the challenges that remain, there is still reason to celebrate this Christmas.
As churches in Wokingham, we hope and pray you will have a safe and happy one. God is with us. Merry Christmas.
