Becoming one like them
CS Lewis wrote this. Some of us love our dogs. Much of the time we find them lying at our feet, or even on our lap. Imagine, for a moment, that your dog and every other dog is in deep trouble. If it would help all the dogs in the world, would you be willing to become one of them?
Would you put down your humanity, leave your loved ones, your job, hobbies, everything you loved and were familiar with, and instead of the intimate communion with your beloved, would you choose the poor substitute, of looking into your beloved’s face and merely wagging your tail, unable to smile or speak?
That’s perhaps a strange notion, but becoming a man, leaving heaven and his position next to the Father, is what Jesus willingly did. By leaving the glory of God’s presence in heaven and coming to earth to become one of us, Jesus left behind the thing that was most precious to Him, His unhampered, unhindered communion with the Father.
All He knew and loved ceased at that moment, and instead He was restrained to the limitations of a human body, which he chose over His heavenly being, all out of love for you and me. You know, history is littered with stories of men who would become gods, but there is only one example of God becoming man.
The story of Jesus birth is recorded in the Bible. It tells us of how Jesus left heaven to come to earth. In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy God sent the angel Gabriel to a town in Galilee named Nazareth. He had a message for a young woman promised in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was a descendant of King David. Her name was Mary.
The angel came to her and said, “Peace be with you! The Lord is with you and has greatly blessed you!” Mary was deeply troubled by the angel’s message, and she wondered what his words meant. The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary; God has been gracious to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make him a king, as his ancestor David was, and he will be the king of the descendants of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end!” (Luke 1.26-33).
Then, the story continues as God’s promise is fulfilled.
At that time Emperor Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Roman Empire. When this first census took place, Quirinius was the governor of Syria. Everyone, then, went to register himself, each to his own hometown.
Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, the birthplace of King David. Joseph went there because he was a descendant of David. He went to register with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him. She was pregnant, and while they were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have her baby. She gave birth to her first son, wrapped him in cloths and laid him in a manger—there was no room for them to stay in the inn (Luke 2.1-7).
The Lord’s Prayer
Dear Father in Heaven, there is a place for you in our hearts, so in us make all things new according to Your perfect plan as we pray in Jesus’ wonderful Name: Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory. Forever, Amen (Matthew 6.9-13).
