The Gospel Beginning Before Time

            While visiting with our son and his wife who live in Albuquerque, we stopped in at one of their local drive-in fast-food eateries to grab some refreshment. As we sat there with the windows rolled down in the vehicle to get some fresh air, we were approached by a young woman who was apparently in great need, requesting a meal since she was hungry and had not eaten in quite a while. Prompted by the Spirit, we added some food for her to our order and, when our slushies came forth, my wife immediately delivered her food to the young lady who had located herself a short distance away. Though she was, indeed, hungry, it was apparent to my wife that there were other issues in this young lady’s life that presented a barrier to a rational discussion about Jesus at that time; otherwise, if the Spirit had led in that manner, one would most assuredly have ensued.

            This experience had me thinking later about how God saw our overwhelming need and did what was necessary to meet it. The Apostle Paul stated it this way, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (rf. Rom. 5:8 NASB).  We know this to be the essence of the Gospel. Yet, do we realize this Gospel message actually began before time? Do we grasp the truth that God was dealing with the reality of our sin and purchasing our salvation, making us His people “before the foundation of the world” (rf. Eph. 1:4)? What about this astounding concept—that God Himself, the second Person of the Trinity, came to earth, took on human flesh to be born like us, though not conceived by normal biological procreation, to experience birth to human parents, (rf. Mt. 1:18-25)? At His arrival, this God/Man would make Himself purposefully vulnerable to identify with His creation, totally dependent upon His parents for daily sustenance, though He would still be intimately connected to the fellow members of the Godhead as the Son of God (rf. Mt. 2:13-15).

            When we begin to view the Christmas story through this new lens, God going to extraordinary lengths to fulfill His will in supplying our needs for His honor and glory, this saga takes on a whole new meaning and significance. We begin to more fully appreciate the depths to which God stooped to insure the security of our salvation and to cleanse us from all our sin. It should add potency to our worship of this God who did not have to go so far to save us, but willingly chose to do so out of His great love for us (rf. Jn. 3:14-21). In this Christmastide, may we rightfully express to Him our thankfulness and gratitude for Him being willing to meet our needs, great and small, and to bring us into His family by coming into ours through the agency of a little baby boy so many centuries ago.