Willingly Born For You
“I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born for you; he is Christ the Lord.”
Luke 2:9-10
In 1998 our (The Andes) surprise Christmas gift came in June. A 2 1⁄2 lb. baby boy whom we had the privilege to adopt. Austin was a gift given to us. We didn’t do anything to deserve him. He was lovingly and willingly given to us by his birth mother.
“A child has been born for you last night. Go see him.” These were the words we heard over the phone from our social worker on June 2, 1998. The next day we jumped in the car and drove to the Greenville hospital NICU. Our affections for this helpless one were immediate. Our hearts were full. And over the next couple of days, our minds absorbed the facts relating to the health of this 10-week-preterm baby boy. But our warm feelings and our head full of facts did not make us parents. The adoption agency was waiting for a decision, “Yes” or “No.” It wasn’t until we exercised our will and said, “Yes, we will parent this baby with God’s help” that we actually became parents.
Mind, emotions, and will. All are involved in Salvation. All are involved in Christmas. We may know all the facts about Jesus Christ’s birth and life and death. And we may get warm feelings during this season. But it’s not until we exercise our will and say Yes to Him that we glorify Him and receive the benefit of knowing Him.
Jesus, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!
Philippians 2: 6-8
And speaking of saying “Yes to Him”, ponder this: From eternity past, Jesus willingly said “Yes” to His Father. He willingly agreed to go on this rescue mission for us. He willingly left the glory of heaven to grow in a young woman’s womb. And He willingly and perfectly completed every aspect of the redemption mission. He exercised His will in perfect submission to His Father so that we even have the chance to say “Yes” to Him.
May your Christ-focused living this Christmas season be characterized by a willingness to say yes to Him in things small and big!