Occupation with Christ

It is always a special blessing to reflect on the life of the Lord Jesus. His name is wonderful - and so was His whole life here on earth. He is so unbelievably great that He told His disciples: "No one knows the Son but the Father" (Matt 11:27). Our limited minds are not able to fully grasp what it means that He is both "over all, God blessed forever" (Rom 9:5), and at the same time "the man Christ Jesus" (1 Tim 2:5)!

While our Lord lived here on earth, the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in Him. He possessed divine omnipotence and omniscience at all times. But at the same time, as a human being, He learned about human weaknesses and limitations from His own experience. For example, in view of His coming in power and glory, He explained to His disciples: "But of that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32). When He was ultimately crucified in weakness, He cried with terrible pain: "My strength has dried up like a potsherd" (Ps 22:15).

Many other events show us the same apparent paradox. After a long journey, the Lord Jesus sat exhausted at the well in Sychar. However, Isaiah writes: "the everlasting God, Jehovah, the Creator of the ends of the earth; faints not neither tires" (Isa 40:28). He slept in the boat as He crossed the lake with His disciples. The Psalmist, in turn, says that the keeper of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps (see Ps 121:4). Finally, He, who alone possesses immortality, died on the cross on Calvary (see 1 Tim 6:16).

The signs and miracles/wonders that the Lord performed served as proof that He is truly the Son of God (see John 20:31). His active dependence, on the other hand, made it clear how perfectly He lived here as a true Man.

We must never separate the two sides of the truth that He is God and Man in one Person! We can, however, try to distinguish them in His life with due caution - although even this is often not easy and bears the risk of deceiving ourselves.

He is the almighty Creator and at the same time the One who, as a dependent Man, was already cast upon God from the womb. We see Him suffering hunger, but also as the One who fed 5000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish. He was thirsty, although He had the power to turn water into wine. One time He was carried by a boat across the lake, another time He walked majestically on the raging waters. Every morning He would open His ear in prayer (see Isa 50:4) to be taught as a disciple or learner. But the same Person ruled with authority over the forces of nature. Although He had no more strength on the cross and His tongue stuck to His palate (see Ps 22:15), He could still cry out with a loud voice, "It is finished" (John 19:30)!

The more we reflect on His unique life, the more we will agree with what Shulamite and the sons of Korah say about Him: He is "the chiefest among tens of thousands" and "fairer than the sons of men" (see Songs/Cant. 5:10; Ps 45:2)!

We cannot imitate the eternal Son of God in His omnipotence and omniscience. But as a dependent Man He is our example to whom we should become more and more (a)like. God created us humans as dependent creatures. Therefore, we can only find lasting fulfilment and satisfaction if we really want to live in dependence on God and in this way correspond to the purpose of our existence. This is why the Lord said to His disciples: "It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master" (Matt 10:25).

J.P.S.