‘God With Us’

‘God With Us’

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14

To extend our discussion of the miracle of Christ’s Incarnation, we draw together two texts which enable us to consider His Virgin Birth. We stand unapologetically upon the miracle of that Virgin Birth. For Christ, being God, to become human, He must as the old theologians put it, ‘take unto Himself a true Body and a reasonable soul.’ In order for His Humanity to be a sinless humanity, He must arrive upon the scene of human history by extraordinary means. Hence, we see God ordering and arranging the Virgin Birth through Mary, the chosen vessel. By this means, ‘the Word became flesh.’ Mary, herself was cognizant of her peculiar position when she said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.  For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.’ Mary was keenly aware of her own need of saving grace. Having said that, God selected her to accomplish His larger Purpose to bring into the world the utterly unique Individual Who would be ‘the Only Redeemer of God’s Elect.’ This Virgin Birth is part and parcel of all that we hold dear. It is a non-negotiable of the faith ‘once delivered to the saints.’ As we continue to mediate upon the miracle of Christ’s Incarnation, we dwell today upon the human instrument whom He used to bring into the world Him Who is ‘very God of very God, and also truly man.’ O, Come let us adore Him.

Our most Holy and Good God,
we praise You, that You have come to presence Yourself with us
in the Person of Jesus Christ.
We rejoice that He is, in every way, Emmanuel, ‘God with us.’

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning