incarnation

in this advent season, i’ve been struck by the manner of Jesus’ coming — that the creator of the universe, the one who sustains every living thing — came as a human baby. he lived our life; he suffered our sufferings; he became weak so that we could know God’s strength. though he was God, he made himself vulnerable to pain and loneliness and rejection, for the sake of loving us.

though Jesus was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. he made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.
philippians 2:6, 7

theologians call it ‘incarnation.’ it’s just a fancy way of saying that Jesus didn’t wait for us to make our way to him; instead, he came to us, as one of us. he laid down his rights and depended on the Father, so that people could come into contact with God and be reconciled to him.

our calling to montreal is also a call to be incarnational, to live as displaced people — loving, serving, and being a witness to those who are studying far from home and all that is familiar. we have at least an inkling of what that experience is like. it’s ministry from a position of weakness —kind of like coming as a baby.