God With Us
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2023
DECEMBER 2023 - WAYNE ALCORN, ACC NATIONAL PRESIDENT
Christmas is a celebration of God’s response to a lost and lonely human race. He demonstrated His immense love for us through the gift of His Son – Emmanuel – which means ‘God with us’.
The Bible tells us that Jesus ‘became flesh and dwelt among us’ (John 1:14). He came to be with us, with the mission to make a way for us to live in relationship with God forever.
What a wonderful message for a world that shows the growing effects of loneliness. There is something within us that cries out for a sense of belonging. The shifts in modern society have caused us to be more isolated than ever, despite having so many ways to connect to each other. Loneliness, it seems, is at epidemic proportions.
This season gives the Church, and individuals alike, an incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. As people gather to enjoy the festivities with family and friends, let’s spare a thought for those whose loneliness is amplified at this time of the year.
Mother Teresa put it so succinctly: ‘The problem with the world is that we draw our family circle too small’.
As we celebrate the wonder of a God’s extravagant love, expressed in Emmanuel, may we seek to enlarge our circles. Let’s be people that look around us with the hope of finding those who are standing alone; and open wide our hearts and doors to those who need to know that they are loved by God and loved by us.
