DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- A BOY LIKE ME

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – A BOY LIKE ME

"And the Child grew and became strong in spirit filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him…..And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:40, 52)

I believe Adam was created as a mature man, with everything that were needed to survive life in the garden. He was not dependent on a mother or father to protect him and help him grow. He did not evolve into man-hood. He was man. But not Jesus. He began as a baby and grew into manhood through all the phases of life.

It is an amazing wonder that Jesus was a boy just like me. He humbled Himself to the maturing process from infancy to adulthood. That means that he had to learn to walk just like I did. He had to learn to speak just like me. He had to learn submission to His parents just like I did. He had to struggle through the teenage years just like I did, and He probably had acne just like I did. He had to memorize God's Word just like I did. He grew physically, intellectually, and spiritually just like me. He grew into who He was as a human adult.

This gives me real encouragement. I have passed all the seasons of life and will not grow in stature any more – unless I eat too many cookies! But I am still growing in wisdom and knowledge, and spiritually in my relationship to God. I have not yet arrived. But like the Apostle Paul, I say, "Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus....Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind" (Philippians 3:12-16). Like Jesus and Paul, I am still growing in wisdom and knowledge, in favor with God and man. And I hope this is the same for you. Let's grow together.

Love, Dad