“The all-powerful God chooses to come in weakness and vulnerability. The One who needs nothing chooses to be in need.”
Bette Dickinson
Advent is a season of preparation; preparing our hearts for the arrival of baby Jesus. Our King and the Messiah came into this world as a baby who was helpless and dependent on others to feed Him, clothe Him, and take care of His every need. Jesus was defenseless and unprotected. A newborn baby is the epitome of what vulnerability looks like. Yet, it’s in that place of vulnerability that the promise of a coming Messiah was fulfilled. In that place of vulnerability came hope, strength, and salvation for the world.
Bette Dickinson writes in Making Room in Advent, “God is so bent on loving us that he becomes helpless. He so desires to empathize with us that he refuses the comforts and expanse of heaven to experience the pain and limits of our humanity. He is so set on drawing near to us that he constrains himself within the most vulnerable dwelling we have ever called home – the womb.” God incarnate became vulnerable on our behalf.
“Who, being in the 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. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8)! Jesus not only came into this world through humility and vulnerability, but He also remained dependent upon the Father and exited in the same way as He arrived.
Vulnerability is not a comfortable place to be. My flesh would much rather feel strong and in control rather than weak and possessing little agency. Yet, this is the position God, the Son, chose to live. Jesus chose weakness, suffering, and powerlessness. How can I then choose any other way to live?
Aren’t you grateful that God chose to be weak and vulnerable when He entered the world and came into existence? I know I am. No matter how uncomfortable it is, His vulnerability permits me to embrace my vulnerability. For it’s in my weakness that I can most identify with my Savior.
“God descends into the world through human weakness. We make room for him by descending into vulnerability to love the vulnerable.”
Bette Dickinson
Relevant Reflection:
In what ways do you find encouragement that Jesus became vulnerable on your behalf?
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