He was already a King 12/22/09

...but He came as a baby.

He possessed the power of miracles - to heal the sick, to give the blind sight, to feed the hungry - yet He came as the most helpless form of human life.

I have never thought about this so much until Jake was born. I have read the story of Jesus' birth in the Bible dozens and dozens of times. Every single Christmas when I was a little, I was the designated reader of Luke 2, verses 1 through 20. While my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, parents, and sister sat quietly in my grandparents' living room, I would read the verses, "...And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger... (Luke 2:7).

And now I'm thinking back to the newborn days and weeks with Jake and how fragile and new he was; how dependent he was on me and Jim to care for him. What would he have done without us? He couldn't possibly take care of himself. We were his source of food, shelter, clothing, comfort. We met his every need...literally. When he was hungry, we fed him. When his diaper was wet, we changed him. When his tummy ached, we stroked his back and bounced him on our chests as we walked around our house. When he was sleepy, we rocked him while humming lullabies in his ears. When he had spit up all over everything, everywhere and needed a new outfit...you guessed it! We were the ones who bathed him and changed his clothes. I think about all of these things, and I ask myself, so why would the One who is able to provide us with these things - food, clothing, shelter, and comfort - make Himself dependent on someone else to provide them for Him?

And then I begin to think that this is how Christ wants us to be with Him - totally, 100%, selflessly dependent.

From the moment He came to Earth, He was teaching us how He wants us to live - completely trusting, resting in His arms, knowing that He will provide for all of our needs. Just as a baby enters the world with total dependency and total expectation of nothing less than having his or her needs met, so can we depend on Christ.

This Christmas season, there is one Baby I'm ever more thankful for than my own...the Baby who was already a King.

To me, He will always be the most precious Baby of all.