Tuesday, March 21, 2017 - PAGE 17
Weak as a baby, but with power past knowing Newborn babies are limited in what they can do. They can’t go anywhere on their own, or clothe themselves. They can’t focus their eyes properly, can’t even hold their heads up without support, or articulate their needs–beyond crying because something feels wrong. They are weak and vulnerable, and require a lot of patient, loving care. For the animals it’s often quite different. Dolphins are born swimming, calves and colts are soon up on their feet moving about, ducks and turkeys are ready to leave the nest in a couple of days. But for human babies, these things take months, or even years. When we turn to Bible, we learn that “children are a heritage from the Lord” (Ps. 127:3). By extension, their care then becomes a God-given responsibility. We see that with Moses, born at a time when the people of Israel were in slavery in Egypt. Male Hebrew babies were being killed according to royal edict, but Moses’ parents hid him and provided for his protection (Exod. 2:1-9). When the Israelites were called together to worship the Lord, or hear instruction from His Word, their little ones
Robert Cottrill, B.A., B.R.E. http://wordwisehymns.com/ www.Wordwise‐Bible‐Studies.com
were brought along (Josh. 8:35; II Chron. 20:13; Joel 2:16). Practically speaking, this was because, since everyone was to attend, no one was left to care for them. But it also sets a worthy precedent for today. Children need to be taught early on to attend the house of God on the Lord’s Day. Regular church attendance should be a family affair. In the Gospels, we see the love and compassion of the Lord Jesus for children and infants (Mk. 10:13-16; Lk. 18:15). And the same tender care is represented in Isaiah’s poetic imagery concerning Christ’s second coming, when He will reign as King of kings, and Lord of lords (Isa. 40:1011). Given who He is, and how He will one day reveal Himself, it is remarkable that the Lord began His earthly life as a baby, a weak and vulnerable infant (Lk. 2:11;14). The Word of God tells us that the One
born in Bethlehem had existed from all eternity (Mic. 5:2) and, as the second Person of the triune Godhead, He was involved in the creation of all things (Jn. 1:1, 3). Yet He willingly humbled Himself in this way. But there is more. During His years of earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus demonstrated His power over the raging storms of the Sea of Galilee (Mk. 4:39), over demonic forces (Lk. 4:33-35), over disease (Lk. 4:40), and over death itself (Jn. 11:33-34). Yet there came a day when Christ allowed a rabid mob to take Him, rush Him through an illegal trial and nail Him to a cross, even though, at His bidding, 12 legions of angels could be summoned to His defence (Matt. 26:53). Since “the wages of sin is death,” only through His death could Christ, the eternal Son of God, become our Saviour
(Rom. 6:23). He gave Himself up to die in order to pay our debt of sin (Jn. 3:16; Eph. 1:7), then rose again, triumphant over death (I Cor. 15:3-4). This combination of humanity and deity, of utter weakness and helplessness with the sovereign ability to wield infinite power, was captured in a wonderful hymn by Anglican
bishop William Walsham How (1823-1897). The hymn was written in 1867, the same year in which Canada became a nation. “Who is this, so weak and helpless, / Child of lowly Hebrew maid, / Rudely in a stable sheltered, / Coldly in a manger laid? / ’Tis the Lord of all creation, / Who this wondrous path hath trod; / He
is God from everlasting, / And to everlasting God. / Who is this that hangeth dying / While the rude world scoffs and scorns, / Numbered with the malefactors, / Torn with nails, and crowned with thorns? / ’Tis the God who ever liveth, / ’Mid the shining ones on high, / In the glorious golden city, / Reigning everlastingly.”
Covered by grace I found it, the perfect fit and an end to a more than a year-long search! “It,” an elusive Tupperware lid, sat at our local thrift shop, possibly destined for recycling. I’ve come close to tossing the accompanying large storage container but I couldn’t make myself do it because the size and shape is unique and perfect for my baking sprees. Over the years the lid had warped until the corners cracked and finally, it became unusable. Efforts by our local representative to locate another one were unsuccessful. As simple a thing as it may seem and probably as unlikely a topic for an inspirational article as one could imagine, that lid was extremely important to
me. For example: a large loaf of my homemade whole grain bread fits in perfectly. Storing several dozen muffins is no problem and three or four dozen cookies are right at home in there. Without a lid, however, all the usefulness of the vessel is gone. I found myself mulling over the similarity of that lid and the lessons God longs for us to learn. I thought of how valuable we are to Him. While we may consider ourselves beyond redemption or
usefulness and while He allows circumstances in our lives in order to refine our character, He never discards or punishes us. “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love …” Jeremiah 31:3 If we choose to ignore His gestures of love, that’s our privilege. God will never force Himself on us but He never stops loving us. Next, I realized afresh the glorious privilege of being covered by His grace through salvation. “… He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robe of righteousness.” Isaiah 61:10 Loved to receive salvation, covered to make us useful. Oh the lessons in a lid!