advent day eight

Christ was truly God.

But he did not try to remain equal with God.

Instead he gave up everything and became a slave,

When he became like one of us.

Philippians 2:  6,7

Reputations

When Joseph heard that his betrothed was already pregnant, we don’t know what thoughts went through his head. But we do know that he planned to break off the betrothal privately, to avoid the worse of the inevitable disgrace for both himself and Mary. Before God’s son was more than a cluster of growing cells, he and his family had lost their reputations. His mother Mary went off to visit her cousin Elizabeth early in her pregnancy. Elizabeth was celebrating with her whole community the end to her barrenness– was Mary still trying to keep her pregnancy secret?

God, the LORD almighty, who had led the Israelites from Egypt with a tower of fire, who had demolished the walls of Jericho, who had shamed the prophets of Baal by consuming Elijah’s sacrifice and for whom Nehemiah rebuilt the temple now reveals himself in a totally unexpected way.

He asks Jesus, who is God, to become one of us. And one of the least of us– a baby with no bed, no home, no status in his tribe or family, no reputation.

And why would He risk his reputation like this?

Because He loves us.

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.

John 3:16

God loves me