Kept and Taught by the Spirit
By William Covert
Through Infancy and Childhood
As an angel gave the Saviour's name before His birth, so did an angel proclaim to men the glad tidings when He was born. Devout shepherds who watched their flocks by night were first to hear the news of His advent to earth. The messenger from heaven said to them: "Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Then the herald told where the Babe could be found, and described the humble garb which clothed His infant form. Hearing the welcome proclamation, the shepherds made haste to see the long-promised One. They soon found Him lying in a manger at Bethlehem, wrapped in swaddling-clothes, as the angel had said. Luke 2:8-16. He had forsaken the riches and the glory of heaven (2 Cor. 8:9), to become poorer than the wild nesting birds and the den-digging beasts (Matt. 8:20; John 6:38), that man might inherit greater riches than mortals had ever known. Shortly after the rites of His birth had been celebrated, King Herod the Great began to plot for His destruction, and the angel of the Lord advised His guardians to flee with Him into Egypt as a place of refuge from the murderous schemes of that jealous royalty. By committing Himself into the care of the eternal Spirit, He was fortressed about by the power of omnipotence, and mighty angels were commissioned to watch the schemes of the enemy and cause their wicked designs to miscarry. Every promise of help made for the children of men was valid for the Son of God when He came to our world in mortal flesh. Temptations which beset Him and trials which He suffered were duplicates of those which humankind have to bear. What He met, men may meet; where He walked, men may go; what He bore, men may bear. For He "was in all points tempted like as we are." "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked." "Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows." Heb. 4:15; 1 John 2:6; Isa. 53:4. He came to us a babe; yet for the period of His infancy it was written of Him, "Thou didst make Me hope when I was upon My mother's breasts." Ps. 22:9. The son of Amoz, and seer of Israel, in his predictions relating to Jesus, said, "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make Him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord." Isa. 11:2, 3. The summary of Scriptural statements shows that spiritual help and divine protection are not withheld from any soul, either because of fewness of days or ripeness of years. Neither is help denied because of race, color, place, or position. "The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works." Ps. 145:9. While it is true that none can hide from the eyes of the Lord, nor escape from the presence of His power, it is also just as true that all are subjects of His grace, and creatures of His care. For these reasons the man of God has asked, "Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? or whither shall I flee from Thy presence?" His preserving presence and His power to keep are above, and below, and also near at hand, whether one be far away or close by. It is helpful, too, for us to know that what God did for Christ He could do for us, if we should become as wholly surrendered to the divine will as was the eternal Son. What matchless grace men could have if they would be as Jesus, who came down from heaven not to do His own will, but the will of the Father, who sent Him! With Him even heaven was given up, and position in it, in the interest of His earthly mission. And being submitted in the very act of His coming to earth, He could be fashioned after the divine image from the day of His birth. Therefore, it is said of Him, "And the Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, . . . and the grace of God was upon Him." Luke 2:40. It was the grace and the wisdom given Him by the eternal Spirit having Him in charge, that made Him strong in spirit and pure of heart. In His wholeness of consecration He again brought to light that hidden wisdom which in the beginning God ordained to our glory (1 Cor. 2:7), that wisdom which none of the princes of this world knew, but that which the Prince of Peace, the Christ of God, will through the eternal Spirit teach to all the Spirit-born royalty of His kingdom.