The Incarnation

Word of the Father
Now in flesh appearing
O come let us adore Him
Christ the Lord

So I'm pretty excited about this Christmas season. In fact, today I put on a Christmas CD in my car on my way to school, and as I listened to it, a huge silly grin came across my face.

Part of the reason I'm so excited about Christmas this year is because I largely missed it last year. I was working pretty hard, right up until December 23rd. I didn't listen to much Christmas music, didn't get any decorations out, didn't do much of any "getting in the spirit." I distinctly remember promising myself last year that it would be the last Christmas season I ever spent like that. I would not allow myself to have another Christmas like that.

So as this season begins, I am trying to really relish all of it. It represents a new significant time in my life, and I'm excited about actually being able to joined.

That is heightened by the other reason I am excited about Christmas this year. For the past few weeks, my main focus has been on God. Three days a week, I drive to attend classes that are focused around Him, and therefore putting my focus on Him. And in the days I haven't been driving to attend these classes, the majority of my homework (and, indeed, my extracurricular activities) have bene focused on the nature of our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Now I will freely admit that I have not even scratched the surface of who God is. And no matter how much education I get, that will always be the case. My knowledge of God, although certain to grow in my three years in seminary and beyond, will only be at the most superficial level. There is so much to God that it is sometimes incomprehensible to think just about how much there is to learn about God.

And that is precisely where my excitement about Christmas comes from. I have been spending a lot of time recently thinking about the Incarnation--a seminarian's fancy word for God taking on bodily form through His Son Jesus Christ--which we spend time celebrating during the Christmas season--the birth of the savior.

And as I start to scratch the surface of the reason behind December the 25th, I am sometimes overwhelmed at the thought of it all--so much so, that if I ponder it too long, my eyes start to well up, and I almost cry at the thought.

The God of the Universe--the Creator of Heaven and Earth--becoming a mere mortal. Giving up some of His glorious attributes so that he could become flesh. And why? So that he can offer Himself on the cross, and save my wretched self.

It doesn't make any sense. It just doesn't. But He still did it. He did it because He loves me, and wants to spend an eternity with me. And the only way that could happen is if He took the punishment for my sins.

Absolutely incomprehensible.

As I thought about that again this morning, my mind wandered to some of the other faiths of the world, and some of the gods that these faiths worship. I wondered to myself--would the gods of other religions, would they be willing to give their lives for poor, pathetic humans? Would they be willing to lay aside their power and authority just to save a bunch of people who aren't worth saving?

I don't know all of the world religions, but I would guess that none of their gods would become man, only to die a criminal's death. And if I even raised that prospect to the followers of these religions, I bet they would say that the very thought was an insult to their god.

Yet that's what my God did. He didn't have to--grace is a gift of God, it is not a requirement of Him--but He did it because He is love, and He knew that the only way my sins could be appeased was if someone else took the punishment for them.

So I am excited about this Christmas season. I am excited because it puts into focus once again the glorious miracle that happened 2,000 years ago, and for the first time, I think, I will be able to see beyond the tree and the gifts to the true present Christmas brings. And as I sing those time-honored and treasured hymns, each one of them will take on a new and more significant meaning.

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"