Ouachita Stories

In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet foretells the birth of a child that shall be called Immanuel, which means, "God with us." This phrase is descriptive of God's purposes across the entire Bible. In the Garden of Eden, God walked with Adam and Eve. Throughout the Old Testament, God dwelt with Israel in a tabernacle or temple. He consistently does whatever it takes to be with his people. However, the image of "God with us" in the New Testament is vastly different than any other humanity had seen up to that point. God was magnificently present in the garden and tabernacle, but, after centuries of waiting for a Savior, what we celebrate on Christmas is "God with us" in an unexpected yet uniquely joy-giving manner — as a child.

A few chapters further, in Isaiah 9:6-7, additional details are given about this child. He is described as possessing qualities of power and authority only attributed to God, and he is called, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace." After hearing about what sounds like a royal heir, it is shocking to see Jesus fulfill this prophecy — a baby laid in a simple manger at birth rather than a cedar cradle in a palace.

In ancient Near Eastern culture, children had zero status. One may recall Mark 10:13-16, in which the disciples tried to prevent people from presenting their children to Jesus. He instead urged, "Let the little children come to me." Jesus uses this opportunity to lift up the humble and powerless, but the disciples' behavior reflects the low status of children in local culture. While Jesus encouraged people to receive his kingdom as a child would, the disciples did not want him to be bothered with those they mistakenly saw as too insignificant to further his kingdom.

Moreover, common experience reveals children's dependence, as they enter the world unclothed, reliant on a mother for food, and in need of diaper changes. While babies are a beloved blessing to their parents, it is also true that caring for an infant is not always glamorous. Polished family portraits for Christmas cards tend to obscure the graphic reality of runny noses and sticky fingers! Despite all this, Jesus still chose to reflect the messiness and helplessness of childhood in his own life.

All things considered, entering the world as an infant might feel totally unfitting for someone called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. However, our Lord is no stranger to lowering himself. His radical humiliation is displayed elsewhere in the Gospels, such as when Jesus knelt to wash the feet of his disciples, and ultimately when he faced a shame-filled execution reserved for criminals. Nonetheless, may this Christmas Day not be filled with lament, but with joy, for out of love God did something unprecedented; he willingly entered the human experience to be with us and rose from the grave after his death. We were once separated from God, but — look — God is now with us! In the most relatable and intimate way possible, the Lord bridged the gap, crossed the chasm, and came down to us when we could not reach up to him. Hallelujah to our great and personal God!

Holly Hatcher is a 2024 Christian studies graduate and currently serves as assistant director of Campus Ministries at Ouachita.

 

 

 

Lead photo by Matthew Correll

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