The Story

The story of Bethlehem is an exhaustless theme.  In it is hidden, 'the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God.'  Romans 11:33.  We marvel at the Savor's sacrifice in exchanging the throne of heaven for the manger, and the companionship of adoring angels for the beasts of the stall.   Human pride and self-sufficiency stand rebuked in His presence.  Yet this was but the beginning of His wonderful condescension.  It would have been an almost infinite humiliation for the Son of God to take man's nature, even when Adam stood in his innocence in Eden.  But Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened fy four thousand years of sin.  Like every child of Adam He accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity.  What those results were is shown in the history of His earthly ancestors.  He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless life.

Satan in heaven had hated Christ for His position in the courts of God.  He hated Him the more when he himself was dethroned.  He hated Him who pledged Himself to redeem a race of sinners.  Yet into the world where Satan claimed dominion God permitted His Son to come, a helpless babe, subject to the weakness of humanity.  He permitted Him to meet life's peril in common with every human soul, to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure and eternal loss.

The heart of the human father yearns over his son.  He looks into the face of his little child, and trembles at the thought of life's peril. He longs to shield his dear one from Satan' power, to hold him back from temptation and conflict.  To meet a bitterer conflict and a more fearful risk, God gave His only-begotten Son, that the path of life might be made sure for our little ones.  "Herein is love."  Wonder, O heavens! and be astonished, O earth!.

This just makes you want to love Him more, doesn't it?  Knowing what He gave up in heaven to come here to this wicked world to save us from destruction.  And to know that we can have the same power to overcome as He had, if we just submit ourselves to Him and let Him have our lives so that He can live in us 'to will and to do of His good pleasure'.  Aren't you thankful there is a way out of this mess?  This condition of this world tells us that Jesus is coming soon to take us home to heaven with Him.  Let's be ready by letting Him live within us and we will be safe in His keeping.  If you are elderly like I am, then let Him carry you when you can't seem to carry yourself.  He loves each of you, don't spurn His love, accept it and be ready to meet Him.   Grandma Joan

These thoughts were taken from 'The Desire of Ages' chapter 4.