I have spent some time recently reading through several passages and studying up on the incarnation of Christ. The incarnation is that incredible, one of a kind miracle, through which God came to earth as a man. For anyone who has been in church any length of time, the wonder of that statement can be somewhat lost. God came to earth as a man! There is no other event ever to occur in all of human history that compares to this miracle! It is unparalleled.
The gospel of John gives a fantastic glimpse into the peculiarity of the event. John opens up by writing “In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God…and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”. He dwelt among us! I can accept the miracle, I just can’t explain it. God loved me so much that he went to incomprehensible lengths to get to me to show me that love. He came here and walked around in a body just like mine. He experienced the emotions that I experience. He got hungry like I do.
Today, I am thinking of this season that we call “Christ”mas (at least in some places still) and thinking of how far away from what was really going on in that manger we have wandered. The festivities and all the “big” that surround Christmas have swallowed up the deeper and so much more profound reality of the simple, yet unfathomable truth that God came to us as one of us to make a way for all of us.
My friend Carl Cartee wrote a song called Glorious Impossible that captures the impossible irony of that moment:
See the virgin is delivered in a cold and crowded stall
Mirror of the Father’s Glory lies beside her in the straw.
He is Mercy’s incarnation, marvel at this miracle
Lift your souls now and receive the Glorious Impossible!
It is so unthinkable to imagine that God himself would stoop to my level to accomplish what could not be accomplished any other way. But that’s exactly what happened. So today, I am thinking about what Jesus did for me – and for you! Even in the cradle, we can see the cross. Bethlehem’s humility always leads to Calvary’s humiliation. As the angels join in joyous celebration of this barnyard birth, we must never forget – he was born to die! He was raised to bring life to us! So today, I just want to say thank you Jesus for what you did for me! In light of that, and everything Jesus has done for us, I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas!
