January 24

The Christ Child

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a saviour, which is Christ the Lord. — Luke 1:11

How wonderful this was! We must remember who it was that was thus born. The birth of another child in this world was nothing strange, for thousands of children are born every day. But this was the Lord of glory. This was not the beginning of His life. He had lived from all eternity in heaven. His hands made the universe. All glory was His. All the crowns of power flashed upon His brow. All mighty angels called Him Lord. We must remember this if we would understand how great was His condescension.

Every schoolboy has read that Peter the Great left his throne, and in lowly disguise apprenticed himself at Zaandam and Amsterdam as a shipwright. Among the common labourers he wrought, dressed in their working-garb, living in a hut, preparing his own food, making his own bed. Yet in doing so he never for a moment ceased to be the autocrat of Russia. His royal splendour was laid aside for a time; his regal power and majesty were temporarily veiled beneath the disguise he wore; but there was never an hour when he was not an emperor.

So Christ’s glory was folded away under robes of human flesh. He never ceased to be the Son of God; and yet He assumed all the conditions of humanity. He veiled His power, and became a helpless infant, unable to walk, to speak, to think, lying feeble and dependent in His mother’s bosom. He veiled His knowledge, and learned as other children do. He laid aside His sovereignty, His majesty. What condescension! And it was all for our sake, that He might lift us up to glory. It was as a Saviour that He came into this world. He became Son of man that He might make us sons of God. He came down to earth and lived among men, entering into their experiences of humiliation, that He might lift them up to glory to share His exaltation.