It’s hard to believe—we’ve arrived at the week of Christmas.
No doubt many of us are anxious to see family, preparing to travel, scrambling to get those last minute gifts or crashing (like me) after a long semester. Wherever you find yourself this week, whatever you’re doing, it’s likely the holiday rush is bringing either a sense of dread or excitement….or a little bit of both.
But in the midst of the Christmas flurry I have a question for all of us to ponder.
Why did God take on human flesh?
Why did Christ condescend from eternal glory to take on humanity?
Couldn’t there have been another way for Him to save us? Another way for us to be forgiven, redeemed, and freed?
After all, this is a crazy thing Jesus did. It’s unbelievable, really. The all wise, all powerful, all sovereign maker and sustainer of everything that is became frail, breakable, and human.
Why?
Learning an ancient lesson
For the longest time this question nagged at me. Then one day I heard I quote from the great Church father, Athanasius, which made everything clear.
“What has not been assumed by the Son has not been healed.”
Translation—> Everything that it means to be human was taken on by Jesus Christ so that every ounce of our humanity can be saved, healed, and redeemed.
This is the great answer to the why of the incarnation.
By taking on human flesh, all of humanity can be healed from our fallen plight and restored to the fellowship with God and freedom we were created for.
This Christmas, take time to pause. Step away and make room to wonder at this God who came down to live for us, to die for us, and to be resurrected for us.