December 5, 2023

As we start into the season of Advent and look towards Christmas, I want to keep the end of the Christmas story in mind: the Gospel. One of my favorite Christmas songs, How Low Was Our Redeemer Brought, beautifully captures both the incongruity of the incarnation and the glory of the Gospel:

How low was our Redeemer brought, the King who held the stars

Lay helpless in a maiden’s arms and pressed against her heart

While sheep and cattle raised their voice the babe could speak no words

The ever flowing Spring of Joy had come to share our thirst

How low was our Redeemer brought, the Lord the worlds obeyed

Would stumble as He learned to walk upon the ground He’d made

The One the angels bowed before would kneel to wash our feet

And be at home among the poor though He owned everything

How low was our Redeemer brought to raise us from our shame

And now the highest praise of all belongs to Jesus’ name

The Healer wounded on a tree to bear our grief and sin

The King gave up His crown so we could ever reign with Him

As we celebrate this month, let us remember what the Baby in the manger gave up and endured on our behalf so that He could redeem and restore us. Glory to God in the highest!