Honest Christmas
I did not release a Christmas song this year… but I kind of did.
I wrote ‘Honesty’ last year around this time, as I was meditating on the Incarnation. These past two years have exposed the frailty of our humanity more than any other in my lifetime — our bodies are vulnerable to microscopic parasites, our healthcare and economic systems have limitations for which real humans pay the toll, and as much as we might like to think otherwise, we are emotional beings with emotional capacities that can only handle so much.
These vulnerabilities framed the concept of God becoming man and dwelling among us in a new way for me. When Jesus took on flesh, that means that he took on all the vulnerabilities of human flesh as well. He was susceptible to viruses, his life was subject to the Jewish and Roman authorities of his day (something that we see on full display at the crucifixion), and he often withdrew from people to spend time alone in prayer, indicating some limitations on his emotional capacity. He took naps and slept at night, so we know that he had normal physical constraints that all humans have.
He was God, yes; but he was HUMAN. He was not God wearing a human suit, but he was a human through and through. Truly God and truly man.
“This Hight Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin.”
He understands every type of weakness that we experience as humans. He had a body and he understands all the baggage that goes along with having a human body: it can get sick, it can get hurt, it gets tired, it smells bad sometimes, it can attract people to you, and other times it can repel people from you.
His humanity, in addition to his God-nature, opens the door for us to draw nearer to him in our vulnerabilities more than his God-nature would alone. The author of Hebrews is making this point, as he continues on to say: “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrew 4:16, NASB)
This is the beauty of Christmas. It highlights this specific aspect of God’s redemptive plan — the humanity of Jesus, the vulnerability of Immanuel — so perfectly.
“You came to earth in vulnerability, nothing like the sons of empires we see. You revealed yourself in apparent obscurity. You chose to live a life of humble means.”
If you’re feeling weak this year, here are some things to remember:
Jesus understands exactly how you feel because he felt it too (Hebrews 4:15)
His power is perfected in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:3, 5)
God desires truth in the inmost parts (Psalm 51:6)
You are laid bare before God so there is no reason to hide anything from him, no reason to lie to him or to yourself about what is really going on inside of you (Hebrews 4:13)
Bring your honest self to God; expect to find mercy and grace (Hebrew 4:16)
Listen to ‘Honesty’, or watch the music video:
Read the lyrics here.