Paradox of the Cross #3 - Jesus was born of woman that we may be born of God. Looks like I got ahead of myself yesterday when I cited a passage I need to cite again. "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law" (Gal. 4:4 NKJV). When the virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus in Bethlehem, as the prophet had foretold (Micah 5:2), the saying of Isaiah was fulfilled: "Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel" (Isa. 7:14). If Jesus had not been born of woman then we could not be born (again) of God.

His birth was physical; our birth is spiritual. Accepting Jesus (including the reality of the Virgin Birth) leads to our spiritual birth. "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name ["Immanuel" means "God with us"]: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:11,12). This is a beautiful concept, is it not? Jesus was born of woman in order that we might be born of God!

Prayer/Hymn: "O holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, Be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell, O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord Immanuel." (Phillips Brooks)