Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:5-11).Oh, sure, I love that other stuff. The angelic announcements to Joseph and Mary, the birth in Bethlehem -- complete with "no room for them in the inn" -- the angels and the shepherds, the wise men, these are all the standard components of the Christmas story. I love them all. As a whole, it presents a wonderful event.
Still, I need to keep in mind that happy births and singing angels were not the main ideas. The idea that Christ, "in the form of God", would willingly lay that aside to become human for the purpose of an excruciating death and a spiritual sacrifice on my behalf is almost more glorious than I can bear. I do indeed look forward to the day that "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Perhaps then we'll all remember that Christmas isn't about us.
1 comment:
Amen! God with us. That's the story.
Post a Comment