"The Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory."

When you hear the word glory, what comes to mind?

In our modern world, glory is usually synonymous with success. We see it on social media feeds, in the news, and in the "celebrity culture" that surrounds us. It looks like power, adulation, and recognition. It’s the fanfare of trumpets or the prestige of a New Year’s Day honour. To us, glory means being seen, validated, and celebrated.

But on Christmas Day, we are invited to look at a completely different kind of glory.

The God Who Pitched a Tent

The New Testament is full of light and power when describing the Creator—the eternal one through whom all things were made. This is "Big Bang" glory. Yet, the Gospel tells us that this infinite God came to dwell among us.

In the original language, that word "dwell" literally means "pitched his tent."

Think about that for a moment. God didn't build a fortress or a palace. He chose a transient, fragile existence. He "camped out" in a way that reminds us of refugees fleeing for their lives, or the small, popped-up tents of the homeless in our wealthy cities.

His "tent" was the flimsy, fragile body of a newborn:

• Vulnerable and dependent.

• Born to a teenage mother in a world of poor sanitation.

• A sovereign Creator relying on His own creatures for food, shelter, and life.

A Reversal of Roles

This is a complete reversal of everything we think we know about power. In this tiny infant, we see the fullness of the glory of God.

We don’t normally seek out glory in transience, vulnerability, or surrender. We find it hard to take pride in our moments of weakness or our reliance on others. Yet, this is exactly where God is to be found.

God’s glory is found in:

• The out-of-the-way places.

• The edges of the empire rather than the halls of power.

• The dirty, grimy, and "unspectacular" moments of life.

By entering our world on our terms, God didn't seek to overpower or impress us. He came to be alongside us—to understand our pain, our desires, and our concerns from the inside out.

Recognising the Unrecognised

You would think glory would be easy to spot, but God’s glory is defined so differently that we often fail to see it. Who wants to embrace vulnerability? Who looks for the Divine in a "tent" when they are searching for a palace?

Because Jesus stood for what is true, just, and fair, rather than what was popular, the world did not recognise Him. There were no fanfares or medals for the King of Kings.

The Gift is Still Open

Christ still dwells among us today. He still wants to be part of your life, joining you in your questioning, your saddest lows, and your happiest highs.

This is the miracle of Christmas: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

That is God’s gift to us. If you haven't yet accepted Jesus into your life, please don't let this season pass you by without opening the greatest gift you will ever receive.

God is here. His tent is pitched right alongside yours.