I suppose this story has been told in a
variety of ways, but it illustrates so well the
heart-cry of all mankind.

As I heard it, a little boy woke up in the
midst of a violent storm, frightened by the
thunder and lightning, and cried out for his
mother. She reassured him, and told him
never to be afraid of the dark or the storm
because God was right there with him.

In a few minutes the child cried out again,
and the mother went back to his side and
reminded the youngster of her earlier assurance
that God was with him in the storm. “I
know,” said the lad, “but I want someone with
skin on!”

Don’t we all? Religions based on noble
thoughts or impersonal cosmic forces, or
centered around idols made of stone or wood, do
not satisfy the deep longing inside the human
breast for a God with whom we can have a
personal, living experience. We seek a God
we can touch — Someone with skin on — to be
our Example, our Saviour, and our Intercessor.

Centuries after the time when God himself
came down to the Garden of Eden in the cool
of the evening to walk, talk, and have fellowship
with Adam and Eve, sinful man had lost
sight of who God was and what He was like.
Mankind stumbled about in the dark, disobedient
and lost.

So God sent His Son to earth once again to
reveal to man what God is like and to restore
the lines of communication and fellowship.
And to help man relate to God, the Father
wrapped His Christmas present to the world —
the divine spirit and person of His Son — in
human skin!

The Apostle Paul wrote, For God, who
commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Jesus, our Example

The old gospel song, “Where He Leads I’ll
Follow,” has a tremendous message in its
lyrics. One line in particular describes Jesus
by saying, “He the Great Example is, and
Pattern for me.”

The truth is, Jesus gave us an example for
living as well as His life. When we see how
Jesus lived, how He acted, how He responded
to other people and the circumstances of daily
life, we catch a glimpse of how we should
live. Oh, if only we would ask ourselves,
“What would Jesus do?” when faced with
life’s tough decisions and choices.

We know that His life was an outpouring
of love and joy. His very first recorded miracle
was performed at a wedding! He had dear,
cherished friends in Mary, Martha, and
Lazarus, in whose home He enjoyed rest and
fellowship. When Lazarus died and Jesus was
called, we’re told He wept for His friend.
Onlookers even noted, Behold how he loved
him! (John 11:36). And Jesus raised Lazarus
from the dead.

The Gospels are filled with examples of
the compassion of our Lord. And Jesus, when
he came out, saw much people, and was
moved with compassion toward them (Mark 6:34).
We’re told He taught them…and later
fed them.

Acts 10:38 tells how God anointed Jesus
of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with
power: who went about doing good, and healing
all that were oppressed of the devil; for
God was with him.

This is the example Jesus set for us — He
went about doing good. In love and compassion,
He met people’s needs, touching, healing,
and lifting them. And that is what we are
to do.

In today’s dark world, you and I may well
be the only light some people will ever see.
We are the only hands of God that will ever
touch them. Ours are the only feet that will
bring the good news of the gospel to them.

I tell you, if Christ’s hands are not extended
through ours, He will never reach out to
some people. That individual in your world
crying out for someone with skin on to come
to him…is waiting for you.

“Oh, Rexella,” you say, “how could we
ever expect to be like Jesus and minister as He did?”

Because He said so. Jesus said, Verily,
verily, [truly, truly] I say unto you, He that
believeth on me, the works that I do shall he
do also; and greater works than these shall he
do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever
ye shall ask in my name, that will I do,
that the Father may be glorified in the Son
(John 14:12,13).

Jesus, our Saviour

A short time after the birth of Jesus, Mary
and Joseph brought Him to Jerusalem to the
Temple to be presented to the Lord, according
to the law of Moses. Two remarkable and
beautiful things happened there that day.

First, there was a priest named Simeon, an
old man who had been promised that he would
not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ.
When He saw Jesus, he took Him in his arms,
and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace, according to
thy word: for mine eyes have seen thy salvation
(Luke 2:29,30).

There was also an 84-year-old prophetess
named Anna in the Temple. The Bible says
that she coming in that instant gave thanks
likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him
[Jesus] to all them that looked for redemption
in Jerusalem (Luke 2:38).

Why is it so significant that Simeon and
Anna recognized Jesus as the Saviour?
Perhaps God knew that we today needed to see
this confirmation of the faith of others in the
holy Scriptures. The majority then and now
could not see who He was and is because of
spiritual blindness. The Lord Jesus entered
the world He had created to rescue fallen man,
yet those with whom He desired to be
intimately associated rejected Him.

The Bible says, He was in the world, and
the world was made by him, and the world
knew him not. He came unto his own, and his
own received him not (John 1:10,11).

Jesus knew the price He would have to pay
as the Saviour of the world. The Christmas
card picture of Him being revered as a beautiful
baby in a manger was for a brief moment.
The adulation of those touched by the compassionate
prophet, teacher, and healer lasted only
a few days.

Jesus grew up in a humble home, in a
despised village. His brothers and sisters
misunderstood Him. The religious leaders of the
day hated Him. And finally, when He was
falsely convicted and crucified, His own disciples
forsook Him.

But He died for everyone to redeem all
mankind, willingly, by choice. He came to be
a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).

Someone has said that Jesus would have
come to earth, suffered and died, to save just
one person. And I believe that is true. But it
is also true that, had the Lord been born ten
thousand times in Bethlehem, it would have
been ineffective…unless He had a birth in our
hearts. Only then is He our Saviour.

Jesus, our Intercessor

I’ve often heard the old folk proverb which
suggests that before one criticizes a person, he
should walk a mile in his shoes. The point is,
of course, that one cannot really understand
someone else’s behavior unless one has gone
through their tests and trials.

The writer of the Book of Hebrews
reminds us that because Jesus, the Son of God,
came down and wrapped himself in human
skin and walked in our shoes, He knows what
we’re going through…He understands. For we
have not an high priest which cannot be
touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but
was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin (Hebrews 4:15).

Under the law of Moses, the role of the
high priest was to intercede before God for
mankind. And Jesus, who provided the
ultimate sin offering in His death on the cross,
now serves as our Intercessor in heaven before
the Father.

Having walked the rocky road of human
existence before us, He fully understands what
it means to be hungry, tired, and penniless
…to be misunderstood, slandered, falsely
accused…to endure heartache, physical pain and
suffering…even death!

Oh, He knows what you’re going through,
He understands what you need…and He cares!
He sees your struggles, He hears your cry.
And He is reaching out to you.

I heard about a little girl whose mother
was in the hospital, and who was spending the
night alone with her father. Soon after her dad
turned out the lights, the little girl said,
“Daddy, are you there?”

“Yes, child,” he said, “I’m here.”

It was quiet for a moment, and then a little
voice asked, “Daddy, are you looking at me?”

What a joy to know that, in our darkest
hours, we can go ahead and go to sleep knowing
that Jesus stays awake all night looking
after us!

I love the beautiful words of the old song
that says,

Can we find a friend so faithful,

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Just now, reach out and touch the “skin” of
Jesus the Lord, God’s “unspeakable gift” of
love. Receive Him as your Example, accept
Him as your Saviour, trust Him as your
Intercessor.