December 22, 2004

THE HOLY CHILD

"The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy child to be born will be called 'Son of God' " (Luke 1:35, NEB).

Five centuries before Christ, the angel Gabriel appeared to Daniel to announce the time of the coming of the Messiah (see Daniel 9:21, 25). Now, in the fullness of time, Gabriel made another appearance--this time to the virgin Mary with the startling news that she was about to be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah. Astonished by the announcement, Mary questioned the feasibility of such a miracle (see Luke 1:34). It was then that Gabriel reaffirmed, "The holy child to be born will be called, 'Son of God' " (Luke 1:35, NEB).

Even in His prenatal state, the Son of God is labeled "The Holy Child." The angel's announcement was an affirmation of Christ's divinity and His true humanity. The designation, "Holy Child," indicates that in every stage of the incarnation process Jesus Christ was pure, sinless, and undefiled (see Hebrews 7:26). Even in His mother's womb, He bore heaven's endorsement of holiness.

The mystery of Christ's sinless perfection will be a subject of study for all eternity. How could the Holy Child come into a sin-saturated, sin-polluted world--grow up through childhood, youth, and manhood--and yet never sin even once? The "Holy Child" became the holy man of God (see Mark 1:24). This "Holy Child" became our Saviour, dying on the cross for our salvation. He who knew no sin became our sin bearer. Our sins were reckoned to our sinless Saviour as though they were His, so that His righteousness might be reckoned to us as though it were ours (see 1 Peter 2:22-24). What an incomprehensible transaction that we might be saved!

My Prayer Today: Lord, thank You for the "Holy Child" who became my Saviour that I might have eternal life. Amen.