The King of Heaven, born on earth

(This is one entry in the Christmas series I'm doing on my home blog, CatHouse Chat. I invite you to come on over and join with me in daily devotionals for this blessed season!)

Infant holy, Infant lowly, for His bed a cattle stall;
Oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the Babe is Lord of all.
Swift are winging angels singing, noels ringing, tidings bringing:
Christ the Babe is Lord of all.

Flocks were sleeping, shepherds keeping vigil till the morning new
Saw the glory, heard the story, tidings of a Gospel true.
Thus rejoicing, free from sorrow, praises voicing, greet the morrow:
Christ the Babe was born for you.

One of the things I find most amazing and confounding about Christmas is how the Lord came to this earth. He certainly could have been born to a rich and mighty family - that would have been no problem for God - but He wasn't.

Instead, God sent His Son into the world in a low estate. His family was poor - or at least very ordinary - and not at all important. Of course, you need to remember that, even if the Christ had been born into the richest and most royal family on earth, it still would have been an infinite step down from His Throne in Heaven.

How comforting it is that Jesus came into a "normal" family. He wasn't insulated from any of the trials and tribulations of ordinary life. He lived a life any one of us would recognize and understand, and because of this, we can know that He has indeed "been there, done that."

He knows our hurts. He knows our trials. He knows our worries and our fears; He lived them.

All this because He came into the world as a Baby, helpless and yet the Sovereign of all.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was
rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty
might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9, NKJV)

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. (Philippeans 2:8, NKJV)

God Himself, God the Son, left Heaven, humbled Himself, and became a little Child so that you and I would have faith in Him and trust Him to do what we cannot: He came to save.

Father, I cannot sing Hosanna! loudly or long enough to express my joy and thanksgiving for Your preious Gift. Lord Jesus, thank You for giving up everything to humble Yourself and to save Your children. How odd, how extraordinary, and how wonderful that You chose to bring Your salvation in this simple, gentle, and quiet way. You chose to whisper Your love into our hearts, and I pray that many will heed that whisper and give their lives to You in gratitude for the Greatest Gift of all.

You.

Amen!

Don't forget to think of submitting something to Adam's Carnival of Christmas. I hope and pray he has a huge Carnival, full of all the joy and light and wonder of this blessed season!

(Crossposted from CatHouse Chat)

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