Suggested Reading: Philippians 2:1-11
I
travel a fair bit with my job. I can't begin to count the times I've emptied my
pockets before being allowed through security. It's a ritual of air travel now.
Perhaps that's why I was so taken aback by a picture suddenly appearing to my
mind's eye as I reflected on the miracle of Christmas.
In
my imagination, I saw the eternal Son of God, the Christ, emptying His pockets.
As I continued to ponder the image, I let myself imagine the conversation in
heaven between the Father and the Son, just prior to the incarnation, and I
watched as the scene unfolded in my mind.
The
Father tenderly says, "It's time son."
The
Son looks deep into the soul of the Father and says, "I know...I am ready
to go. This is a good plan, and yet...I am afraid of what will happen on this
trip."
“I
understand my son. We have always been together, but for a little while it will
be different. For a little while you must lay aside what you have known and
truly be one of them.”
“Can
I take my power? The power I used when we made the universe together.”
“No
my son, you must leave that here.”
“Can
I take my wisdom? The wisdom I have gained in our eternal relationship, the
wisdom I have gained in the years I have watched our children upon the earth.”
“No,
you must leave that here. You will grow again in wisdom while you are there.”
“Can
I take my knowledge, the knowledge of all things from before the beginning of
time?”
“No,
you must learn. You must learn how to walk and how to speak.”
“Can I take my glory, the radiant glory that
shines like the sun?”
“No,
that too you must leave here.”
“Can
I take my all-sufficiency, my independence?”
“No.
You will be entirely helpless. You will not even be able to feed or clothe
yourself. You will drink your first meal from a human breast and be utterly
dependent upon your earthly parents. You must leave all these things behind.”
“But
how will I protect myself? We know how violent and unpredictable they can be!
What if they try to kill me before our plan is complete?”
“You
won't protect yourself. You will be utterly vulnerable. You will have to trust
me. I will watch over you and no evil will harm you until the proper time.”
“So,
what do I take with me then? Can I take nothing from heaven to earth?”
“Just
yourself. Only you, your essence, your spirit poured into a frail human embryo
in the womb of a teenage girl. You will start from there and show Us through
one of them. You will show them Us, our Spirit, our Character, by living just
as they do. You will be Emmanuel. You will be Us with them.”
“Okay
Father. I have emptied myself; I am ready to go....”
I
don't pretend to know what happened in heaven, but I can only imagine.
Imagine
what it must have been like for the perfect Son to contemplate leaving heaven.
Imagine what it must have been like to empty Himself as He prepared to humble
Himself and live in a human body. Imagine the miracle of the incarnation again
this Christmas!
Can
you imagine!?
.....................
Questions:
Are
there things ‘in your pocket’ that you are clinging to?
What
would you be willing to give up to help others?
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