The Great Exchange

I was struck by a certain truth today!

God exchanged our wretchedness for His perfect righteousness.

He could have come down as a warrior to defeat sin. But He chose the form of man. Not just man, but a babe. It was the ultimate form of humility. A baby totally dependent on man, specifically his mother, to fulfill his every need. He grew up in great wisdom and stature and favor with God and man. Then chose to leave all, not to just go back to heaven, but to save the very people (and mankind) that He was dependent on as a babe. And not just taking us back to heaven with him, but choosing to die to pay the price that our horrendous sin required!

NOT ONLY THAT!

He became sin! We will never understand what that entails. Think of all the most wicked and evil sins that man has committed; sins that every single one of us has the ability to commit. He became that. He became the adulterer. He became the pedophiliac. He became the liar. He became the terrorist. He became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God! Just think on this friend.

What kind of love could drive Him to this! A love we can't even fathom, yet a love that is to drive us to love just like that!

Another beautiful picture of this exchange is wealth. We arrive in this world spiritually poor and deprived of any chance to gain riches or wealth due to our sinful state. Yet, our merciful Maker, through His grace, provides riches, immense and overflowing. He takes our poverty as His own. Dust to Riches. That's us! And He, deserving nothing but majesty and riches becomes the beggar groveling for every bite.

Oh, the mercy! Oh, the grace!