Prepare Your Heart: Christmas DevotionsSýnishorn

Alien in a Manger?

Nonhuman, extraterrestrial species (a.k.a. “aliens”) taking on human form and mingling around in the midst of us--normally, that’s kind of creepy, isn’t it? I mean, Hollywood has made some pretty famous and pretty scary movies and TV shows about aliens who are disguised as people.

And yet, this very concept is the way in which God set about to rescue you and me from our worst nightmare--the dread of death, destruction, and damnation. Except this--God’s plan did not include the coming of some alien to be feared. Jesus came to earth not as fake human, nor as an android. He is not an alien posing as a human. Jesus became human to be like us, for us, with us.

Marvel with me at the meaning and miracle of the incarnation of Jesus: “Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity” (Hebrews 2:14). He came to this world not merely to be like us. He came to be us, fully, in every way. In this marvelous way, He came to bring about a rescue in person, one that only He could do. He came to obey the laws of God and man as a man. He became human to die for the human race.

If you believe this, you are going to have a very merry Christmas.