Surely the greatest wonder of Christian truth is God sharing in humanity. Not simply a theophany or a god appearing in the guise of a human such as in Hinduism or Greek mythology where a God takes the form of a man to complete a mission, achieve a purpose, but rather God choosing to partake in the human experience. From the womb to the grave God the Son shares fully in the human experience, with all it’s limitations, it’s joys, disappointments, it’s difficulties and temptations. Tiredness, hunger, fear,dread, love, affection…Yeshua experienced all of these.
And rather than bathe in the comfort of riches and privilege, He shares in the lowliest of human existence, being born to the most ordinary of citizens (certainly in the eyes of the world), not rich, not entitled. The young mother giving birth in a stable, outcast. A helpless baby soon to be on the run with His parents…refugees to a foreign land. To return some years later in order to grow and learn a trade with his father as countless millions of sons have done prior and since. What unspeakable wonder. The Word who was in the beginning, who was with God, who was God, the One through whom all things were made becomes flesh and dwells among us!
Could any mortal mind conceive of a love so vast that brings forth a desire of the Creator of the universe to share the experience of His most beloved creation? Could any person imagine God or a god to humble himself to the point of such abnegation? Our response surely must be awe, amazement and adoration. It stills every complaint. Every plaintive cry (‘it’s all right for you, you’re God’) is silenced before it even reaches our lips.
And God does not stop there. His love goes beyond even this. For not only does He stoop down to the lowest place, He lifts us up to the highest(!)…by suffering and enduring the greatest cost. Humiliation, injustice, false accusation, torture and the cruellest of deaths.
Behold God’s love! Behold the joy, the wonder, the vastness of the Gospel! God shares in our humanity and doing so doesn’t grasp at becoming God on earth but empties Himself and humbles Himself. He resists all the temptations (‘here are all the kingdoms of the earth, they’re all yours’ offers Satan), refuses the way of sin, chooses not the ways of the world and remains obedient. Even to the point of death.
How can we not fall before Him in joy and adoration. In wonder and awe, with a desire to praise Him forever and ever. For He is risen, exalted on high. Son of God, Son of man, lamb that was slain.
Yeshua (Jesus) name above all names, glorious saviour, wondrous God! The might Lion of Judah, the Lamb of God! Hallelujah! Amen.