Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death–even death of a cross. Philippians 2:5-8
The birth of my first child, Jennifer, gave me the opportunity to view the coming of Jesus in a new light. As I carefully held her in my arms, I thought of the vulnerability of the baby Jesus. He depended on Mary and Joseph for everything. He could not feed himself, defend himself or get anywhere on his own. He lived as all babies live, eating, sleeping and needing frequent diaper changes…or whatever they used in the first century. All his needs, safety and well-being rested in the hands of human beings, who really messed things up in the Garden of Eden.
It’s hard to comprehend that Jesus, who existed in the beginning with God, gave up all his deity for a time on earth. He gave up being omnipresent, he could only be in one place at a time. He gave up his omnipotence, he had no control over what happened to him as a baby. He gave up omniscience, he knew nothing at birth, except the sound of his mother’s voice. He went from a timeless reality to our 24 hour day existence. He chose to do this for us for the joy set before him.. But when he was lying in the stable in Bethlehem, he didn’t know yet what lay before him.
I used to think of Jesus as a baby at Christmas, and then as a man the rest of the year. I forget that he grew up as a human child–exposed to a total human existence, for us.
That day in the stable, when his life on earth began, he looked and acted like any other child. No halo surrounded his head. No birthmarks or other indicators of his deity. He had to learn like every other human being. He learned to communicate, to feed himself, to crawl, to walk, to run…to obey.
Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:14-16
With the assurance that Jesus came to earth as a human being, we know that he understands what we are going through.
TRICIA LATHROP 