As a father I have been wondering what the first Christmas must have been like for God the Father. I would never presume to have any idea of how God ever feels. He is so great and His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are not our thoughts. I do however think there is something to be learned by examining our earthly relationships. I don’t believe God was grasping for an analogy when He called Jesus His son. I think that the human relationships we have (child/parent, bride/groom) are derived from God’s relationship to Himself (persons) and to us.
It must have been very different for God to see His son born than it was for me to witness the birth of my children. For one, I met my children for the first time when they were born. Our Heavenly Father had already loved His Son for all eternity. Secondly, my child was placed in my hands. His child was carried by others. I believe that He has the whole world in His hands and I am sure that day He was cradling it.
Christ’s birth might have felt more to the Father like it is for us when we leave our child with a babysitter for the first time, or even like handing the child to a friend to hold. Those of you who are parents might understand that feeling. One of the hardest things to endure is hearing your child cry in someone else’s arms because you immediately have the instinct to take them back. I don’t buy the line, “the little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes”. Jesus cried as an adult (John 11), He was hungry when he fasted (Mark 11:12), so why would we think He didn’t cry as a child? He came to be one of us: to live, suffer and die as one of us. I am sure Jesus cried. That is the miracle of Christmas. That Jesus was willing to empty Himself and become one of us.
Phil 2:5b-8a
5b Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
Jesus would have teethed. The creator of the Universe was willing to teeth. He was willing to have a snotty nose, drooling mouth and diaper rash. That is the extent He was willing to go to be with us.
As a parent it is so hard to see your small child cry. Often the worst part is that you don’t know why. Is it hunger, tiredness, discomfort, pain? Imagine the Heavenly Father hearing His infant Son cry and knowing why. Was it difficult for Him not to step in?
What about when Jesus was lonely, rejected? Was it difficult then for Him to not step in? As a parent I want to go to any length to protect my children. All three of my kids have strep throat right now and I know that I would go to great lengths if I could just make them feel better.
When my daughter (my firstborn) was one day old there was a complication that required her to need an I.V. and a feeding tube (through her nose). I still remember pushing her to the Natal ICU and feeling like I would never see her again. I was not allowed to stay and watch the needle and tube get put in place. Parents aren’t allowed to stay and watch because it is too traumatic for them. They did not want me to see my child in pain. It would have been too traumatic for me to watch. Thankfully, my daughter turned out to be fine.
Our Heavenly Father watched His son suffer more than anyone. He watched His son die for us. I don’t know if God was ever tempted to say “It is not worth it! These people are not worth it! I am stopping this right now!”. From a human perspective I am sure that is what I would be thinking.
Phil 2:8
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Praise God this Christmas that the Father and Son loved us so much. As both a father and a son I find it unfathomable.
John 3:16
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Phil 2:5-11
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Merry Christmas
Mark Wallace
It must have been very different for God to see His son born than it was for me to witness the birth of my children. For one, I met my children for the first time when they were born. Our Heavenly Father had already loved His Son for all eternity. Secondly, my child was placed in my hands. His child was carried by others. I believe that He has the whole world in His hands and I am sure that day He was cradling it.
Christ’s birth might have felt more to the Father like it is for us when we leave our child with a babysitter for the first time, or even like handing the child to a friend to hold. Those of you who are parents might understand that feeling. One of the hardest things to endure is hearing your child cry in someone else’s arms because you immediately have the instinct to take them back. I don’t buy the line, “the little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes”. Jesus cried as an adult (John 11), He was hungry when he fasted (Mark 11:12), so why would we think He didn’t cry as a child? He came to be one of us: to live, suffer and die as one of us. I am sure Jesus cried. That is the miracle of Christmas. That Jesus was willing to empty Himself and become one of us.
Phil 2:5b-8a
5b Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
Jesus would have teethed. The creator of the Universe was willing to teeth. He was willing to have a snotty nose, drooling mouth and diaper rash. That is the extent He was willing to go to be with us.
As a parent it is so hard to see your small child cry. Often the worst part is that you don’t know why. Is it hunger, tiredness, discomfort, pain? Imagine the Heavenly Father hearing His infant Son cry and knowing why. Was it difficult for Him not to step in?
What about when Jesus was lonely, rejected? Was it difficult then for Him to not step in? As a parent I want to go to any length to protect my children. All three of my kids have strep throat right now and I know that I would go to great lengths if I could just make them feel better.
When my daughter (my firstborn) was one day old there was a complication that required her to need an I.V. and a feeding tube (through her nose). I still remember pushing her to the Natal ICU and feeling like I would never see her again. I was not allowed to stay and watch the needle and tube get put in place. Parents aren’t allowed to stay and watch because it is too traumatic for them. They did not want me to see my child in pain. It would have been too traumatic for me to watch. Thankfully, my daughter turned out to be fine.
Our Heavenly Father watched His son suffer more than anyone. He watched His son die for us. I don’t know if God was ever tempted to say “It is not worth it! These people are not worth it! I am stopping this right now!”. From a human perspective I am sure that is what I would be thinking.
Phil 2:8
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Praise God this Christmas that the Father and Son loved us so much. As both a father and a son I find it unfathomable.
John 3:16
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Phil 2:5-11
5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Merry Christmas
Mark Wallace
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