Eyewitnesses of his Majesty Luke 2:40A

Luke 2:40 And the child [Jesus] grew and became strong,

Strange to think that my Lord had to grow. The one through whom all things were made had to grow.

He made the greater light to rule by day and the lesser light to rule the night. He made Adam a man, but he was a boy.

He had to do what I did and you did. He had to be small and too small to do anything. He had get taller year by year. He wore out clothes just like Samuel (1 Sam 1:18-19). He had to be dependent. He did not equality with the father a thing to be grasped, but grasped the weakness and powerlessness of a child.

He became strong. We also have gained strength at one point in our lives. But for what? With what goal? Even for the most successful of us. Maybe to impress for a short time with athletic feats. Maybe to fight. Maybe for a few of us (in this time and place) for useful labor producing for our families. Maybe, again for a few, to fight in wars. Are these the greatest ends our strength? Was our strength worth cultivating to impress, to wound, to kill, or to make bread?

His strength was worth cultivating. No other has ever made so great a use of strength. He fasted forty days and forty nights. He at times had no leisure even to eat, yet he taught and fed and healed out of his strength because he had compassion (Mark 6). Compassion requires strength. He endured criticism, hatred,and betrayal. Love endures all things (1 Cor13). Love requires strength. He took up his cross. Bearing a cross requires strength.

He spent all of his strength for us. He was poured out. As we think of how strong he was and is. We think how necessary and wonderful it is that he became strong as a child.

My child hood is past most of it was wasted. But I must also become strong. We must. More than physically of course. I'm not talking about push ups. Though physical strength is a part of it and has some usefulness. We must have strength with a purpose.

We are commanded to: Love your neighbor as yourself. Put on compassionate hearts. Take up your cross and follow me.

He gave all the strength he had and held nothing back in his life and his death. Now in his resurrection and exultation he has been given abundantly more strength to supply weak sinners. All power in heaven and earth have been given to him: him who was small and grew and became strong.

It is true that we are weak, but he is strong. And all our strength comes from him.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.