An elephant was thoroughly enjoying himself as he splashed about in the river. A mouse was perched on the sandy shore. It was obvious that he was disturbed about something.
The mouse yelled at the elephant, “Come out of the water at once.”
The elephant laughed and said, “Why should I come out?”
The mouse was not about to be humiliated by this mountain of flesh. He kept yelling and yelling.
The elephant realized that if he wanted any peace and quiet he had better come out of the water. Slowly the elephant lumbered out of the water and stood towering over the mouse. “Now, why did you want me to come out of the water?”
The mouse looked up and said, “I wanted to see if you were wearing my bathing suit.”

I love this story. My wife gives me that “Remind me why I married you” look whenever I tell it. But this story, because it is absurd, reminds me of just how absurd it is that God could fit into human flesh. I think it would be far easier and more easily understood for an elephant to fit into a mouse’s bathing suit.

But that is the mystery of the incarnation. God did become flesh and dwell among us. He wrapped our sinful wounded flesh around the body that the universe cannot contain and became a baby. The all powerful, nothing-is-impossible God became the most vulnerable helpless creature on the face of the earth.

And He did it just for me … and you.

How He did it, I cannot comprehend. Why He did it, escapes me. But that He did it, amazes me. And though I cannot figure it out, though it is easier for me to believe that an elephant can wear a mouse’s bathing suit, I am thankful He did.

“The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. ” (John 1:14, The Message)