As we enter the season of Thanksgiving, only one person warrants our allegiance, trust, and thanksgiving—Jesus. 

In Colossians chapter 2, beginning at verse 6, we are reminded that many distractions surround us, even religious ones or church-centered activities. The center of our faith, however, should always be Jesus Christ. 

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 

Colossians 2:6, 7 (NIV) 

Jesus was not a godlike man, nor a manlike God. He was God-man. “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form …” (verse 9).  

Need proof of who Jesus was? Midwifed by a carpenter. Bathed by a peasant girl. The Maker of the world with a belly button. The Author of the Torah being taught the Torah. 

Heaven’s human. And because He was, we are left with scratch-your-head, double-blink, what’s-wrong-with-this-picture? moments like these: 

• Bordeaux instead of H2O. 
• A cripple sponsoring the town dance. 
• A sack lunch satisfying five thousand tummies. 
• And, most of all, a grave: guarded by soldiers, sealed by a rock, yet vacated by a three-days-dead man.

What do we do with such a person? We applaud men for doing good things. We enshrine God for doing great things. But when a man does God things? 

One thing is certain, we can’t ignore Him. Why would we want to? If these moments are factual, if the claim of Christ is actual, then He was, at once, man and God. 

There He was, the single most significant person who ever lived. Forget MVP; He is the entire league. The head of the parade? Hardly. No one else shares the street. Who comes close? Humanity’s best and brightest fade like dime-store rubies next to Him. 

Dismiss Him? We can’t. Resist Him? Equally difficult. Don’t we need a God-man Savior? A just-God Jesus could make us but not understand us. A just-man Jesus could love us but never save us. But a God-man Jesus? Near enough to touch. Strong enough to trust. A next-door Savior. 

A Savior found by millions to be irresistible. Nothing compares to “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8, NIV). 

This has been a unique and challenging year. But if we keep our focus on Christ through prayer, Bible reading, and Christian fellowship, we have much for which to be thankful. 

Questions to Ponder 

“The single most significant person who ever lived.” Assuming you agree with this description of Jesus, what are some of the key aspects of His life that initially drew you to Him? 

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” Max Lucado uses the phrase, “God-man Jesus.” Why is it imperative we understand that Christ was both fully God and fully man?  

In this post, we read a small list of Jesus’ miracles. Are there any miracles you can look back on from your life … maybe even from this year? 

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Content in this article taken from the Lucado Encouraging Word Bible, with study notes by the celebrated pastor and author Max Lucado. The NIV Lucado Encouraging Word Bible is designed to encourage believers along their journey with the Lord. Max Lucado’s warm, conversational style ensures that the marginal notes, short articles, and various study tools meet you where you are, providing encouragement and insight. This Bible will strengthen you as you follow the included reading plan and incorporate this Bible into your daily devotional life. The 30-day study guide will help you jumpstart this practice. This Bible will help you as a believer, and with Pastor Lucado’s gentle yet powerful notes, it’s a beautiful gift for your non-believing friends and family who could use some encouragement with Scripture.