So many Christmas songs focus on the joy of the season, and rightfully so. It’s a joyous time, both culturally and spiritually. But occasionally I need to view the holiday from a different perspective – that is, from the viewpoint of heaven. From God the Son’s perspective, becoming human was – to put it mildly – a huge demotion. Christmas began with an act of submission and humility on the part of the Son. The Creator consented to become one of the creation, with all of our blood, sweat, and tears. From the heavenly perspective, the Incarnation arrived with sorrow, as part of the Godhead separated himself physically from the Father. Christmas signals an arrival into our world, but a departure, however brief, from a greater world.
Jesus’s demonstrated humility is just one of the reasons the Incarnation should inspire such awe in us.— the Incarnation— required sacrifice we can’t begin to describe. All this before the ultimate shame of the cross.
The Puritan Thomas Watson meditated on Christ’s humility with these words:
“He came not in the majesty of a king, attended with [a bodyguard], but he came poor; not like the heir of heaven, but like one of an inferior descent. The place he was born in was poor; not the royal city Jerusalem, but Bethlehem, a poor obscure place. He was born in an inn, and a manger was his cradle, the cobwebs his curtains, the beasts his companions; he descended of poor parents…. He was poor, that he might make us rich…. He lay in the manger that we might lie in paradise. He came down from heaven, that he might bring us to heaven.”
— As you consider the joy of this holiday season – whether you’re anticipating the unwrapped smiles, lighting the — wreath, singing carols, making cookies, or whatever – take time to consider the counterpoint. Our joy is Christ’s first sacrifice. ( Excerpts from an article by Katherine Britton, News and Culture Editor of Crosswalk.com)
