Power in weakness

This is the mercy which astounds my mind - that God chose to give up all that phenomenal power and become merely human. He gave up the ability to create stars and planets, and came down to walk on the surface of one. He gave up the knowledge of all times and places, and reduced himself to the limitations of human knowledge, human speech, human slowness. This is the condescending which amazes me! (Condescending in a good way - descending to be with us, not in the usual way, which is to make us realize how lowly we are.)

This is the amazing, unexpected, contradictory God that I serve. Not power but weakness, not scholars or politicians but fishermen, not the modern-day US or might of Rome but Nazareth in Israel, not speeches and trumpets and war but death on a cross.

So often I want the other things - the easy things. I want God to be powerful and to sweep away all opposition. I want Him to force me to be as He wants, not to hint and rely on my discernment and free will. I want Him to make everyone acknowledge His glory, not to speak clumsily through my stumbling mouth and faltering witness.

I suppose God is more of a respecter of persons than I am, more careful of each person's free will and right to individuality. God is patient, and waits for us to love Him, not commanding or compelling. How strange! I wonder why? I don't think I would be like that if I were God. I guess that's a good thing, then.

This reminds me a bit of CS Lewis's comments about God not being proud, and not caring if we come to him last, after everything and everyone else has failed us. God still welcomes us home and fixes up the mess we have made of our lives. He only asks that we come - not that we meet any standard or come for any particular reason. Amazing humility of God!