Green Pastures
Weekly Devotional

Divinity Wrapped in Humanity.

 

The writer of Hebrews recorded these words of Jesus: "a body you have prepared for me"  (10:5)

 

I often have wondered how Jesus felt about being put into a human body, leaving behind all the glory and splendor of heaven and having to deal with the limitations of being human. 

 

Imagine glorious God confined to the restrictions of human flesh - Deity wrapped in a tiny baby. He grew mysteriously in the womb of a young virgin and came into the world as a newborn child. The King of heaven became an infant, helpless and dependent on woman for His very existence. 

 

I wonder if Mary first checked to see if all his tiny toes and fingers were there and made certain that his little body was whole.  Most mothers do.  Did she gaze with wonder into his eyes trying to understand how this could be - a child conceived in a supernatural way but born in human pain common to all women.

 

As all children do, He had to be fed. He needed his mother to change his diapers, clothe him, teach him to walk, talk and to obey.  She had to bathe his tiny body and kiss away his tears when he got hurt. As a human baby he had to learn all the things every baby learns.

 

He also had to experience all the feelings and limitations of a human body – hunger, pain, emotional anguish and eventually, death.   We do not see anywhere in the Bible that Jesus complained about those limitations. When He left heaven for earth, He knew what lay ahead, yet He did not complain. He was not forced to come; He came willingly, accepting the pain and limitations as part of his obedience to His heavenly Father.

 

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."  (John 1:14)

 

Why?  Why would the Son of God come to live among sinful humanity, live His adult life knowing that in a short time He would die the death reserved for the worst of society's rejects?

 

Again, the book of Hebrews tells us why.   "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— " (Hebrews 2:14).  He shared in our humanity to experience what we experience. If He had not human form, He could not have been crucified as the perfect sacrifice for our sins.  He did it because of love - love for His Father, demonstrated by obedience, and His love for us. His birth as a mere baby was the signal that Satan's defeat was at hand.

 

When a new baby is born into a family, we rejoice. We celebrate.  But we know that the child will grow, become an adult and along the journey will experience hardship and trials along with the love and learning.  But keep in mind that Jesus, too, experienced all those same things. He understands hurt. He understands pain, sorrow, rejection. He's been there.  Look to Him for strength to endure as He endured. Celebrate His birth. But do not leave Jesus in the manger; make room for Him in your heart.  For that, He came.

 

 

B. Klassen                 beatrice.klassen@outlook.com

 

 

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