By the Incarnation, Christ was truly born of a woman and could claim an earthly mother. Yet long before that grand event, He was the Word—divine, eternal, and uncreated. He is the Second Person of the Godhead.
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”
— Isaiah 9:6
“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son,
and they shall call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us.”
— Matthew 1:23
Christ was not created at Bethlehem—He only took on flesh there. From eternity, He was with the Father. The manger is glorious because God entered into our world. The divine became human, not losing His divinity, but embracing our humanity.
With renewed minds, let us prepare our hearts to cleave to Him always, and to follow Him “through heaven and hell, the earth, the sea, the air,” for He is God-Man, Jesus Christ.
To the woman of Samaria, Jesus said:
“If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, ‘Give me to drink,’ thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.”
— John 4:10
That phrase "living water" echoes John 3:16:
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Again, Jesus reminded us of His divine origin and mission:
“I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world:
again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”
— John 16:28
So, as we approach the glory of the manger, we do so with reverence and awe. For in that humble setting, something supernatural took place:
God became flesh. Emmanuel—God with us.