Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world… (Hebrews 1:1-2)

When the Son of God took on flesh, our Creator came as creature. For centuries, poets and hymn writers have sought to capture the immensity of this truth in words. In his poem Anunciation, John Donne draws out the seeming impossibility of Gabriel’s announcement to Mary like this (read slowly and maybe more than once!).

Ere by the spheres time was created, thou
Wast in His mind, who is thy Son and Brother;
Whom thou conceivest, conceived; yea thou art now
Thy Maker’s maker, and thy Father’s mother;
Thou hast light in dark, and shuttest in little room,
Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb.

Richard Crashaw (1613–1649) marveled at the same stunning truth like this in the chorus of his Hymn of the Nativity.

Welcome all wonders in one sight!
Eternity shut in a span!
Summer in winter! Day in night!
Heaven in earth! and God in man!
Great little one, whose all-embracing birth
Lifts earth to Heaven, stoops Heaven to earth!

It’s no wonder the angel Gabriel had to assure Mary, “Nothing will be impossible with God (Luke 1:37).”

This possible impossibility that God has accomplished is the cause of great hope and joy for us who believe as we groan together with all of creation, “subjected to futility (Romans 8:20). Only through our Creator come as creature will we “be set free from [our] bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:21). As the church has been singing since 1719, thanks to Isaac Watts and George Friedrich Handel:

No more let sins and sorrows grow
Nor thorns infest the ground
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found

This Sunday Junior Jamreonvit will be preaching on Christ, the heir of all things and Kenny Clark will be leading us in sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us “wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved (Romans 8:23–24).”

See you Sunday, Grace. Come hungry!

 

Song of the Week

Come All Ye Faithful arranged by Sovereign Grace Music

True God of true God
Light from Light eternal
Humbly He enters the virgin’s womb