But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman …
- from Galatians 4:4

At Christmas we celebrate the moment when the family of God joined the family of humanity.

God the Father and God the Son have had a family relationship since before the beginning of history. That strong, healthy family is one all of our families would love to imitate. Love. Acceptance. Comfort.

But our families – even the best of them – are broken. Love comes with strings. Acceptance is hard to find. And though there may be some comfort, there’s also distrust, disappointment and regret. We long for healthier, stronger families, but need help.

Enter Jesus.

God sent his Son, born of a woman. Without losing his place in the family of God, Jesus joined our family. He was born of a woman with all that that entailed. He was fragile and vulnerable. He grew hungry and tired. The light of our yellow sun gave him no superpowers. He was one of us, fully and truly.

And yet the child “born of a woman” became someone unique and special. This happens with all children as they grow. They take their place in the family and it’s always a particular place. No one else can take his or her place. And so it was with Jesus.

He joined our family and took his own special place: the firstborn son, the Savior, the Lord. God with us.

God’s whole redemptive plan happens in a familial context. It isn’t primarily worked out in the courts or on the battlefield. Salvation doesn’t come via a bank transfer. No, it’s worked out around the dinner table, through embraces and whispered words of forgiveness, through Christmas and Easter. Through Jesus, we join the family of God and are redeemed.

Why do you think God chose to join our human family in order to redeem and rescue us? How does God joining our family transform the way we think about family?