Christmas

The Infancy of Jesus

What do you think it was like for Jesus, the Son of God, to be an infant?

Verse of the Day

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Luke 2:6-7

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.

Isaiah 9:6

Today’s Devotional

As I have been pondering the Christmas season, it occurred to me that I rarely think of Jesus the Messiah as an infant, even at Christmas time.  I must take His infancy for granted.  But I felt an urge to consider Jesus as a tiny baby.

Other than being impossibly cute and precious, there is one characteristic that all human babies share: complete helplessness.  Babies are utterly dependent on other humans to care for them and keep them alive. And not just for food, clothing, and shelter. Babies need affection and attention and interaction to thrive. Their well-being is determined by the quality of the care others give them.

It occurred to me what a sacrifice this was for Jesus.  What a humble act of surrender to be the Son of God in heaven and to be willing to become a helpless, dependent human infant. Jesus chose to lay down His rights and authority to go through whatever was needed to bring us back into a reconciled relationship with the Father. It is a level of kindness and goodness that is so full of mystery and wonder.

Earlier this year, God used an infant to teach me something about His love for me. My nephew and his wife had their first baby. A little girl. Because they live in the same town, I was blessed to get to see them often.  At one point, the baby was asleep in a crib in my living room while everyone else (other than me) was outside.  She was only a few weeks old. As I watched her sleep, I had a moment of clarity from God.

This baby girl was (and is) so precious to me. But it’s not because of anything she does.  As an infant, she brings no “value” to the table.  She doesn’t do chores. She doesn’t contribute financially to her family. She doesn’t have any kind or encouraging words to say.  In fact, babies cost quite a bit of money to raise and they create more chores.  But her simple existence is an absolute gift.  She is so precious and I am so grateful to get to be around her.  Her presence on this planet makes me feel joyful and grateful and delighted.  And I felt the whisper of God say into my spirit, “That’s exactly the way I feel about you. You don’t and can’t bring anything of “value” to our relationship, but that doesn’t matter.  Your existence delights me. I am crazy about you simply because you are mine.”

The Father is prompting me to tell you that He feels the exact same way about you.  You delight Him.  You don’t need to do anything to earn His love, nor do you need to do anything for Him.  He loves you extravagantly simply because you are His.

“See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” (1 John 3:1)

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” (1 John 4:9-10)

Jesus is the evidence of how much the Father loves us.  Jesus’ surrender to becoming a helpless infant is a beautiful picture of God’s servant-heart toward us.

Father, we ask today that you help us to see the beauty of your love for us.  We ask for a humble appreciation for the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, not only on the cross but also in the manger.  Help us to see Christmas as a reminder of Your amazing love for us.

Journal Prompts

Answer only the questions that seem relevant to you today.

What is your response to God’s extravagant love for you?

If you imagine the Father looking at you with sheer delight, simply because you exist, how does your heart respond to that?

Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a glimpse of the Father’s love for you.