Imagine if you were to immediately become a baby, what do you think that would be like?
What would you have to give up to do this?
What would you no longer be able to do?
How would your life change? What would your life suddenly look like? How do you think that would feel?
Now imagine being God and immediately becoming a baby!
Just think, The Word suddenly couldn’t speak! The one who made the world needed someone else to wipe his bottom! After being omnipresent for all time, suddenly He’s constricted into the form of a baby, present in just one place at a time!
Pondering this can sure give us a taste of what it must’ve been like for Jesus to become human!
This year as I’ve been seeking to prepare my heart to celebrate Christmas, I’ve been camping out in Philippians 2:5-8 (MSG)
Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death – and the worst kind of death at that – a crucifixion.
It’s mind boggling to consider what Jesus experienced when He became human! And if that’s not enough, there’s that next phrase: “He stayed human.”
I bang my toe on the wall and I’m like, “Lord, you can take me home anytime!” I can get so tired of living in this broken fallen world.
But here is Jesus, fully man, but also fully God – can you imagine dealing with the daily brokenness of the world and the sinfulness of every single person around you, and in a moment because you’re God you can check out and go back to Heaven where you reign over all and are respected and there’s no sickness or pain or suffering! Can you imagine what a temptation that would be? Every. Single. Day.
But Jesus didn’t check out. He stayed human. And in doing so He persevered through much tougher trials than I will ever face. I’m so thankful He did…
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down His life for His friends. John 15:13
In the past when I’ve read this verse I’ve always thought of Jesus dying on the cross. This year as I see pictures of Him in a manger, I realize in so many ways, He laid down His life the moment He was born.
I’m looking at nativities with whole new eyes this year
What an incredible picture of His love!
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Art Journal Processing Project:
- Contemplating life as a baby
- Find a picture of a baby (I google “baby drawing image” but you can also use a photograph of your children if you’d rather)
- Draw a half inch grid over the top of the picture (Hint: If you put the picture on top of the page you’ll be drawing your final picture on and start the grid lines on that page, you won’t have to measure twice to draw a grid on the final page. Just lift the picture once you’re done with the grid on it, and then connect the overextended lines that remain on your drawing page which was underneath)
2. Then focus on one square at a time and draw the lines you see in that square. Remember it’s not just about art but contemplate what a baby’s life is like – and what yours would be like if you suddenly reverted back to being a baby!
It’s amazing how this can help you reproduce the image fairly accurately – even if your drawing skills are a rather lacking like mine!
3. Now consider Philippians 2:5-6. Highlight the part of this verse that stands out to you. Write that down beside “Look” then under “Listen” dialogue with the Lord about this, writing down any questions or thoughts that come to mind. Then at the bottom of the page next to Live it Out write down, what do you think the Lord would have you do in response to what you’ve read here in His Word?
4. I just purchased some Derwent Inktense colored pencils and ink blocks so we had fun drawing diagonal lines with them…
Then used water brushes to blend the colors together. 
I loved the stain glass effect we ended up with. Then we each finished creating our own pages based on what the Lord laid on our hearts.
I added black ink using the tips of my fingers to distress the page a bit – like a stain glass window that on the inside had dirty finger prints on it from people reaching up seeking to touch the beauty.
Restful Heart 