The Incarnation

On Saturday, I was reading the Bible with some of my neighbors in Buwundo village. We began talking about Christmas in Luganda. I explained that Christmas is the celebration of when Jesus Christ came to earth. One of the women looked puzzled and asked, "when Jesus came or when Jesus was born." These women had only heard of Jesus as a prophet before they began reading the Bible. We turned to John chapter 1 and began to read, "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God." We read on to see that this "Word" was Jesus. 

As I was trying to answer the woman's questions by having her read what the Bible said, I was struck by how amazing the Incarnation is, and how difficult it is to understand. I remember as a child laying in my bed at night trying to wrap my mind around the idea that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are three persons, but One God. I also remember trying to think about the idea of God being eternal, having no beginning and no end. My mathematical mind really struggled with these concepts. One of my professors at Covenant College said it best, "You cannot fit the infinite God into your little pea brains." 

Today as I was trying to help my friends discover who Jesus is through the Bible, I found myself struck anew with wonder. The God who created this world, the God who is eternal, this amazing God humbled himself and came to earth in the form of a baby. He became a dependent, vulnerable child being cared for by a teenage mom. Below is a photo of me and baby Maria at our Christmas Eve celebration here at GSF.

I also became overwhelmed with my inability to explain these truths, particularly in a language in which I am not yet fluent. I ended this week's Bible study by telling them that I wish my Luganda was better, and I am really trying to keep learning so that we can talk about these things. But I also pointed out that, since each of their families has a Bible and at least one person in each family is able to read it, they can find out more about Jesus by reading on their own. I have told them about the four gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, where they can read more about Jesus. I am praying that they will! I also pray that this Christmas we will all be encouraged and amazed by God's love for us as we remember Jesus.