He Pitched His Tent Amongst Us

John 1:14 – And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth. (AMP)

As little children, my sister and I were never told of the difficulties of a camping holiday in England. We just enjoyed all the excitement and pleasure. We did not know until we were adults that my mother suffered greatly during those camping holidays, due to the change in drinking water. The bracing sea air gave my sister and I great appetites, and this was satisfied with hot meals, cooked on a one-burner Primus stove. Erecting our large tent was mostly accomplished by my father and good-natured campers coming to his aid, as my mother was not physically strong enough to assist him. All these difficulties were forgotten with the all-consuming desire of my parents to give their children a holiday by the sea.

It was a huge campsite, accommodating people from all walks of life: from the rich to the very poor; from the people who had the luxury of having a trailer to those with a very small tent. The campground even opened its gates to the occasional horse-drawn gypsy caravan (the horse later being accommodated at a nearby paddock). My father was a very gentle man and had the skill of being able to converse with people from all walks of life. I was with my father when he had a conversation with a male gypsy. I was very nervous and kept close to my father's side, but at the same time peeping around into the caravan. I just remember seeing sparkling clean bed linen, with colourful quilts, copper pots and pans with mirror shines — all the other background blending into a kaleidoscope of colour in my memory. Regardless, I have never forgotten this picture of a lifestyle so different to my own.

Jesus, our Saviour, came to pitch His tent of flesh amongst all peoples from all walks of life. He gave His very life for such people, and none need be excluded. What a joy it is to know that we can come to Him holding nothing tangible in our hands, simply having the desire for Him to come and dwell amongst us. We come by asking His forgiveness for the past and by having a deep longing to start life anew with Him indwelling our campground of life.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for making this wonderful plan of salvation so easily available to whomsoever, through the sacrificial death of Your Son, Christ Jesus, in Whose name we are privileged to come boldly before Your throne. Amen.

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