We celebrate the birth of Jesus, but it is difficult for me to imagine that God was ever a baby. We are grateful for his sacrificial death on the cross that brought us salvation, but I can't really understand that God would feel the pain of the nails. We celebrate Jesus' resurrection but it is unthinkable that he would have felt the anguish of death and of separation from God the Father before being raised.

I was brought up to believe that Jesus was special, a supernatural being, God. These are all true, but if my understanding of Jesus ends there, it leaves a distance between my Savior and me. The distance is great, between earth and heaven. I am tempted to not expect his care because he has many more important matters to attend to. However, it was prophesied that he would be called Immanuel which means God with us. The bible says that God became flesh and dwelt among us. (Matthew 1:22-23, Isaiah 7:14, John 1:1-18)

Who is this Jesus we worship?

• He was born to Mary of Nazareth, a human mother, through the power of the Holy Spirit - not of a human father. (Matthew 1:18)
  
• He was a child like any other child except that the grace of God was on him.
  There is a story that, at the age of twelve, he went with his parents to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When his parents and their company left the city to travel back home, Jesus stayed behind. About five days later, his parents found him sitting in the temple courts with the teachers. He was listening and asking questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. (Luke 2:40-51)
  
• He was made like us in every way. He shares our flesh and blood so that by his death he would destroy the power of death over us.
  
• He suffered when he was tempted, so he is able to help those of us who are being tempted.
  
• He suffered extreme anguish at the prospect of the cross.
  
• He became obedient through suffering and became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
  
• He is called my merciful High Priest who helps me in my troubles. The fully human Jesus understands every problem. The fully God Jesus understands the workings of my heart better than I do, since he created it, and is working for my good, in every situation.

(Read: Hebrews 2:10-18, Hebrews 4:15-16, Hebrews 5:7-9, Mark 14:33-36, John 12:27, Romans 8:28)

Who is this Jesus?
He is:

• Prince of Peace
  
• Good Shepherd
  
• Light of the World
  
• Resurrection and Life
  
• My Savior and Redeemer
  
• The Image of the Invisible God
  
• Bread of Life, Healer and Forgiver
  
• He is the Mediator between me and God the Father
  
• He is all of these things and so much more and I can still go to him as I would a father or a friend.

(Read: John 6:35,51, Luke 5:22-25, 1 Timothy 2:5, 1 Corinthians 8:6, Colossians 1:15-17, John 1:4-5,9-5,17, John 10:14, Isaiah 9:6, John 11:25-26, Revelation 1:17-18)