Philip’s nightly ritual consists of a bath (which he loves), getting dried (which he loves more), and singing to him and letting him sing along (which he loves the most). He seems to have a musical inclination already because his speaking sounds are different from his singing sounds.
A few nights ago, while we were in Singapore, I started singing to Philip to get him to sleep. The song of choice was an instrumental of In Christ Alone. And as I held Philip and sang to him I couldn’t help but tear up at a new perspective I had of the song.
The second verse starts with
In Christ alone who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless babeIt made me think about what God coming in the form of a baby would look like. Ever since Philip’s birth, we have been able to build so many great connections, because there’s something universally non-threatening and appealing about babies.
But then the song continues
This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to saveThis baby would grow to be a man and He would be rejected by those He came to speak to.
Till on the Cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ, I live
This made me think two things:
My situation must have been extremely hopeless for it to require such a drastic intervention.
Our sinfulness individually and collectively was so absolute it required an extreme solution. God needed to cut out the problem of sinfulness from its core. This is why starting to go to church or trying to be a good person isn’t enough. We need a Savior.
I don’t know anyone who loves me that much.
I definitely don’t love anyone enough to sacrifice Philip for them. I wish everyone well; I’ll serve most people; and I give away my possessions regularly. But I’ll never ever sacrifice my son for anyone. That is far too much to ask. And I definitely wouldn’t do that for enemies.
So as I sang to Philip and he was listening calmly, I prayed and thanked God for sending His Son to die for me. If God was willing to send Jesus to die for our sins, then there is nothing that we ever need to fear or worry about again. His Love is that big. No one else loves us that much.
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32