He designed and gave it
to us. He foresaw our yearnings and aspirations; He knew the sublime,
transcendent possibilities of which, with His help and divine example, we
are capable; He understood the heights of love and worship to which the
human heart can ascend, when assisted from on high, and hence to awaken
and kindle on earth these all-consuming fires;(6) to stir the very depths
of our souls, and elevate and perfect our gifted nature; to afford us the
utmost inspiration to climb with Him the heights of Heaven. He stooped to
our own estate, in all things made like unto us, except, indeed, our
proneness and ability to sin. Since He loved us, He longed to be like us,
in as far as that was possible, and not even our sin-stained, wounded
nature could stay the force of His love.

There is another reason for the mysterious manner of our redemption, a
further explanation of the extreme condescension on the part of our Lord
towards the frail creatures whom He came to save. Had he come to us in a
foreign attire, with a nature unlike our own, would it not have been
difficult for us to approach Him, and to put our confidence and trust in
Him? If He had appeared like an angel, all bright and dazzling with glory,
if He had come as an earthly king and ruler, crowned and clad in regal
splendor, would it not have been hard for the poor ones of earth? would it
not have been a trial for those who were in need of a shepherd's love and
care? Already sorely oppressed and trodden down by worldly pomp and power,
they could only have tried to shun His notice and draw back from Him with
feelings of fear and awe. But our Redeemer came not only to save, but also
to teach and to lead the way to life. As a shepherd He was not to drive,
but to lead His sheep; He does not point the direction, but goes before
His flock, and they follow Him, and He leads them out to living pastures
and to bright, sparkling, far-off waters.

Because He was God, as well as man, Christ knew that, as a result of our
sinful state, we should have to pass our earthly sojourn forever beneath
the shadow of the cross. When sin entered into the world by the
disobedience of the first man, the handiwork of the Creator was despoiled.
That which before had been a paradise of pleasure, replete with all
delights, was wrecked and ruined, and became a place of sorrow, suffering
and death. Thenceforth, pursuant to the divine decree, the lot of man was
to labor, to suffer, and to die.(