God's Masterplan
As we celebrate Christmas we are reminded of God’s faithfulness and love.God’s masterplan is that man should walk in the Light and that Light is His Son, Jesus Christ. Ever before man came into existence, the earth was already engulfed in darkness, hence God’s command, ‘Let there be Light’ (Genesis 1:1-3). Unsurprisingly, not long after the creation of man, darkness entered into man and man began to be separated from God.But God is faithful – after several hundreds of years of the promise of a Saviour, the Word which He spoke at the beginning of creation became flesh (John 1:1-5) and the Light entered into the world to become one of us so that might become one with Him.
It defies human sense that the Son of God would leave his kingly throne to come and live like a pauper in a degenerate world as this but of course, God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways higher than our ways – Isaiah 55:8.A proportionate response to man’s sinfulness would have been punishment, death and eternal damnation but ‘God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son’ to come and reconcile man to Him – John 3:16.Thus, reconciliation, founded on the immeasurable love of God the Father is the central theme of our celebration. God has shown through the ages that He is able to fulfil His plan or purpose for mankind and as we celebrate the birth of His Son we are also called to play our part in that masterplan of reconciliation.
The story of Christmas is both divine and human – the holy babe was carried in a holy, albeit human womb.It took the submission of a young, teenage virgin and the absolute obedience of her equally young fiancé to bring to earth God’s divine masterplan.They played their part, the angels played their part and the shepherds also played their part.We also must play our part.It does not matter what the world associates Christmas with, it is simply about salvation and nothing else.
I wonder what the inn keepers who refused Joseph and Mary room while she was in labour would have said if they were here today to see how God’s masterplan has unfolded.They would no doubt be full of regrets of how they have missed out massively on the opportunity of sharing a (glorious) part in his wondrous story. We who are now reading the story of Christmas must not in like manner shut him out. While it was the baby Jesus who was seeking a room at the inn on that first Christmas night, it is the Saviour Jesus Christ who is now seeking a room in our hearts.
I wish you His innumerable blessings as you rejoice and celebrate Christmas.
Christina Omideyi is the coordinator of Pray Haringey
