“And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the Child, his Name was called Jesus, Who was so named by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. And, when the days of her purification according to the Law of Moses were accomplished, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord—(As it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every male that opens the womb shall be called Holy to the Lord)—and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the Law of the Lord, ‘A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons’.”
Luke 2:21-24
Though sovereign over all, He became subject to the Law that we “through His poverty might become rich” (II Cor. 8:9).
Imagine, if you will, how you’d feel if you were the wealthiest person in the world, but for one year decided to “go undercover,” living on minimum wage. . .or being dependent on panhandling and handouts. . .and living among the poorest of the poor? It’d definitely be an eye-opening and life-changing experience, wouldn’t it?
Most certainly it would.
Even though there are television programs about that these days and even though John Howard Griffin, a white, middle-aged man from Texas darkened his skin through treatments and lived as a black man for one year in 1959 and experienced terrible mistreatment so he could understand the plight of the black man, none of these could compare to Jesus’ Life here on earth.
Think of it:
You’re the sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent Creator of all that is; yet, you willingly and knowingly choose to come live for some 33 years in a sinful, fallen world where you’d be persecuted, despised and rejected from the womb to the tomb.
There’d be no special treatment or immunities. No “free pass to Go.”
Instead, you’d come to live with a couple so poor that they couldn’t even afford a lamb to offer as a sacrifice at the time of your required presentation in the Temple (Lev. 12:6, 8).
Yet, without realizing it, in reality they WERE bringing a Lamb for the required offerings! He simply wouldn’t be slain until 33 years later on Calvary’s hill outside of Jerusalem’s city walls! Glory!!
Dear Pilgrim, how does it make you feel to know that the God of the universe is willing even now to place His most precious Treasure (Jesus) in such “cracked pots of clay” like you (II Cor. 4:7)? Pretty humbling, isn’t it?
That’s why there’s should always be a “willing mind and will” in our service to the King of kings as we “give ourselves in service to Him and others” (II Cor. 8:5, 11-12). Only then can we truly offer to Him the type Grace-gratitude He deserves for all He’s done for us.
December 26, 2012
