From Heaven to Earth and Back
The popular picture book Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney tells of a father’s love. Little Nutbrown Hare stretches out his arms as far as they can reach and says, “I love you this much.” But his father, Big Nutbrown Hare, stretches his arms even wider and says, “But I love you this much.”
So it goes throughout the story, with Little Nutbrown Hare trying to think of bigger and bigger ways to express his love for his dad. Finally, Little Nutbrown Hare thinks of the farthest place possible and says, “I love you right up to the moon.” With that, he closes his eyes and falls asleep. Then father Nutbrown Hare whispers, “I love you right up to the moon—and back.”
I love you. Three little words. One big meaning.
I tell my kids I love them every day. And we can play the same game that Little Nutbrown Hare played with his father, but at the end of the day, our words must be accompanied by our actions.
This is how God the Father showed His love for us. He told us, over and over throughout the Old Testament, how much He loves us. Then the day came when He showed us how much He loves us when God the Son left the glory of heaven and came to earth as a helpless infant, demonstrating the epitome of humility.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2:5-7, NIV)
Jesus grew to adulthood in both poverty and obscurity. Again, demonstrating a heart of modesty. Then He served others selflessly for years, only to die the most undignified death—execution by crucifixion. But He defied death and rose again.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:8-11, NIV)
After spending time with His disciples, friends, and family, Jesus returned to His Father’s side in heaven, so He could send the Holy Spirit.
In this way, God has said to us all, “I love you from heaven to earth—and back.”
The passage in Philippians 2:5-11 is known as the Hymn of Christ. We cannot fully grasp how much Jesus gave up when He left heaven to be with us, to be one of us. Nor can we fully comprehend the utter degradation He endured on the cross. But when we meditate on Paul’s words in Philippians 2, we catch a shadow of a glimpse. God, the All-Powerful, Magnificent, Holy One. He lowered Himself below His own creatures. He subjected Himself to the mockery of the very people He created.
We can’t begin to fathom the disgrace and shame He bore, so we wouldn’t have to. All because He loves us. From heaven to earth and back.
Christmastime is the season we celebrate the God who came. We sing about the baby in a manger and the star in the sky, but that baby grew to live a life of obedience to the Father, and His obedience required the ultimate sacrifice. Now we’re called to do the same.
This Christmas let’s celebrate differently. Let’s remember the obedience and sacrifice Christ made and let’s ask Him to show us how we’re to live today.
Throughout the Week . . .
As we celebrate differently this Christmas season, let’s ponder these words in Philippians and reflect on the obedience Jesus demonstrated.
- Read Philippians 2:5-11 each day this week, perhaps in a different translation each day. (You can find different translations for free at www.Bible.com.)
- Ask God to show you an area of your life where He’s calling you to greater obedience.