It’s really absurd when you think about it: Glory itself would step out of heaven and into the confinement of a womb.
From a throne to a stable. From perfection to desolation.
He could’ve chosen any number of ways to bring Salvation down from Heaven to us.
But in His sovereignty, the form of a helpless newborn is what He would use to juxtapose our lofty ideas of kingship and authority.
God is funny like that, isn’t He? He doesn’t always do things the way we expect. In fact, He rarely does.
If you and I had planned the entry of the King of Glory into this world, wouldn’t we have prepared the most grandiose backdrop to this once-in-a-lifetime event? At the very least, we’d have chosen parents of nobility – married ones, with respect and standing in the community.
We’d make it a kosher (pun intended) event, and we’d certainly make sure the birth was attended by the best midwife in town, with strict travel restrictions imposed on the travailing mother (after mailing in the absentee census form of course).
Yet, He “has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” (1 Corinthians 1:27)
A virgin giving birth? A humble entrance in a smelly stable? Ah, yes. The perfect backdrop to the Miracle of miracles.
God saw fit to fulfill his long-awaited promises (and prophecy) in the most unlikely scene we could imagine.
I am constantly reminded in this Pregnancy Resource ministry that where we might see less than ideal circumstances, God sees incredible opportunity.
The unmarried woman, the high school student, the couple between jobs…the factors hand-in-hand with unplanned pregnancies might seem insurmountable to the average onlooker.
But with the eyes of faith we realize that improbable circumstances are God’s specialty.
In every story of redemption, we can also know this: God uses supporting characters (like you and me) to make hope tangible.
And the more humble our station, the more brightly His glory shines.
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