Genesis 1:26-27 by Danny Fitelson

God is near... through creation  

We were made like God. God didn’t make us *completely*different than him, though it often feels that way. Could it be said that God feels“at home” with us - his creation formed in his likeness? I think so. Of course, Adam and Eve chose to divert from his ways and we all continue to do so as well. But being made in God’s image calls to mind his nearness, not his distance.

God is near… through Jesus  

I was reading an author the other day who suggested that God became human so that we would trust him. One story that shows this is Jesus’ interaction with the woman caught in adultery (John 8). We often ponder just what was Jesus writing in the dirt… but we skip over the fact thatJesus stoops down. Perhaps he is intentionally positioning himself to be at eye-level with the accused woman. Or perhaps he is taking an approach of advocacy rather than authority. God does not shy away from meeting with us during our moments of shame.

God is near... through suffering  

For many of us, this will be a difficult Christmas. Covid cases are rising. Travel plans have been dashed. Loved ones we usually see will be missed. Feelings of anxiety, depression, and grief a real most constant. But our God is near to those who suffer. He is not an old man on a cloud, too busy running the world to be concerned with us. He is not someone who was around on earth for a time 2000 years ago just so he could be killed. God has made efforts to draw near to us again and again – through a burning bush, through temple worship, through Jesus, through Scripture, through his church, through silence – and he continues to reach out today through the Holy Spirit.

May you experience the awareness of God’s presence this Advent season.