I love my Blackberry. It is a powerful piece of technology. I only use it for phone calls and texting but I have heard there are other really cool things it can do. One of the neat features I recently discovered about my phone is the “Calendar” feature. This has revolutionized my world! Gone are the days of my lugging the obligatory leather day timer stuffed full of phone numbers, contact information, and upcoming appointments. Now, I simply carry this really cool phone in my pocket and it contains all pertinent information including appoint reminders. You may have guessed that I am not the most technologically inclined individual but my wife is working with me.
With Christmas just a few days away, I’m drawn to a phrase in the Christmas story from the Gospel of Luke. Look at chapter 2:4-7
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Did you catch verse six? The time came. These are three simple words that are often read but rarely pondered. But if we compare this verse with what Paul writes in Galatians 4:4-5, these three words take on a more powerful depth. Look at Galatians 4:4-5:
4 But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children.
Suppose God did have a Blackberry. If He did, then maybe somewhere in eternity past, God used the calendar application, foresaw the Incarnation of His Son, and on that day, God entered on the subject line “The Assault”.
And when the big day arrived, the phone buzzed reminding the halls of heaven this was the day (let me pause for a moment and reassure all those who might be reading this that in NO way would God needed to be reminded of this; this is simply a way of expressing idea).
It is hard to believe that this infinitely holy God would want to capture the hearts of such a infinitely broken humanity that He would exchange the life of His only Son to arrest our affections and rescue are eternally damned souls. This expression of sacrifice was truly the most impressive “assault” of love this sinful world has witnessed.
All of heaven’s hosts must have in awe beheld the moment when the Son in complete compliance with this insanely divine plan of redemption, left aside His glory, stood up from His throne to stoop down to earth and put on flesh.
Why? Because it was time. Timing is everything. Merry Christmas.
