"It is here, in the thing that happened at the first Christmas, that the profoundest and most unfathomable depths of the Christian revelation lie. 'The Word became flesh' (Jn 1:14); God became man; the divine Son became a Jew; the Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, unable to do more than lie and stare and wriggle and make noises, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. And there was no illusion or deception in this: the babyhood of the Son of God was a reality. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is this truth of the Incarnation.... The Christmas message is that there is hope for a ruined humanity--hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory--because at the Father's will Jesus Christ became poor and was born in a stable so that thirty years later he might hang on a cross. It is the most wonderful message that the world has ever heard, or will hear."
~J. I. Packer, Knowing God (chapter 5 "God Incarnate")
4 comments:
Amen and Amen! I just have been so captured by the wonder of the incarnation over this past year or so. Just the wonder of the fact that God became flesh, Emmanuel- God with us, and met us in our humanity is enough to shout for such joy.
Humanity could never reach God so God reached to humanity and become one with humanity so that we might become one with him. Jesus Christ met us all right where we are, including in our suffering, even the suffering we bring on our selves through sin and injustice, and because of his humanity he even meets us in death, but his divinity allows him to give us life even in the midst of death itself.
Yes it is this incarnational God - Jesus Christ that I fall in love with more every day. Christmas means more to me this year than ever and I pray that God's presence will be felt by you and your family in a special way this year too.
Peace,
James
Thank you for posting these words that focus our minds and hearts on the incarnation. I needed to stop and glory in the wonder of it. Stunning. I pray that I will carry the glory of this truth with me as well as the very spirit of the incarnate Christ as I try to walk out a life of work and worship in this advent season.
Love you--
Mama
Uncle James,
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on this post! It is such an encouragement to share something like this with a heart that resonates with it in the same way that mine did. It blessed me to find your comment. :)
May you and YOUR family be overwhelmed by the precious presence of our Lord this Christmas season as well and may He give you greater understanding of His amazing Self as you ponder what it means to be His child.
Love to all of you guys,
Katie
I know, Mama... I want that so much to. To not only bask in the glory of this truth of our Christ here, but to carry the truth with me so that it can become a part of the way that I breathe and serve and love (the reason for, and the only way I can, do it). Thank you for encouraging me in this always!
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