God With Us! — Abide In Him

for December 8-9, 2025

If we contemplate through a human-centered lens, our spiritual vision is off. A God-centered lens provides clarity. If I think about God wanting to be with me while gazing at me, I’ll struggle to believe. When I realize it’s not about me, but the wonder of who He is, I can believe with joy rejoicing in His glorious grace.

We are meditating this season on God wanting to be with us and making a way, as we celebrate the arrival of His Son, Jesus, in the flesh. Today we will look at an example of God initiating fellowship with a person. In these cases, we will have to use people who are sinners, because there is no other kind. There are many we could share, but let’s start with Abraham.

Abraham was not perfect, but James 2:23 says He believed God which was accounted to him as righteousness. It says Abraham was called a friend of God. (Stop and think about that!) In the book of Genesis we see God continuing the effectuating of His rescue plan through Abraham, working in his life, speaking to him, helping him, correcting him, walking with him.

God is no respecter of persons. The One who called Abraham friend has made a way for us to be His friend too, if we believe. In John 15:15 Jesus said,

“No longer do I call you servants,

for the servant does not know what his master is doing;

but I have called you friends,

for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

May we take full advantage of an offer of friendship with God through the One who came! Jesus, Immanuel, God with us. No longer enemies, but friends. Oh, what an incomparable relationship!