Several years ago, I had the opportunity to travel to Namibia in southern Africa, where I climbed to the top of a sand dune. Okay, not the top exactly, but the ridge. It seemed like the top after all that effort. I enjoyed the view, and then I sat down and dumped the sand out of my shoes. There were so many grains of sand in one shoe that I could never have counted them all.
Imagine how many grains of sand were in that whole dune. Or that whole desert.
Did you know astronomers estimate there are more stars in the universe than there are grains of sand in all the world’s deserts and on all the world’s beaches?
And our God can measure them all with just one hand.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance? (Isaiah 40:12, NIV)
As we celebrate Christmas this year, consider that it is this God who humbled Himself and became a baby human.
Let me merge two passages of Scripture that show the contrast between his heavenly glory and his earthly humility. Read them slowly to catch the contrast.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:4-7 and Colossians 1:15-17, NIV)
Doesn’t it just baffle you over and over again at Christmas time how such an amazing God became such a helpless creature?
He did it for us. He came to live a perfect life and die a perfect death in our place. Doesn’t it baffle you that He loves you that much?
So this Christmas season,
When you burn three batches of cookies and don’t have time to make more,
When you’re late to every Christmas function you attend,
When no one at church seems to appreciate all the work you’re doing,
When your relatives criticize you and your kids whine,
When your husband doesn’t put much thought into the gift he gives you,
When you’re disappointed in your own lack of joy and godliness,
Remember:
God loves you. He cherishes you so much that he would give up everything for you. In fact, He already did.
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