Joy to the World

How fun is it to see children praising Jesus? It's especially endearing when they're preschoolers, dressed as angels, and singing Christmas carols at the top of their lungs. Add in a precious calf, donkey, some sheep, goats, and a camel in a live nativity, and you've got yourself a couple of Kodak moments for sure. We enjoyed this event at our church Sunday night and it was so well-done and pointed us toward the celebration of Christ's birth.

Being nearly as heavy-laden as I'm sure Mary felt at the original nativity scene, I think I was extra sensitive that night. I kept pondering the whole giving-birth-in-a-stable-as-a-virgin-teenage-girl-with-your
-brand-new-husband-without-even-a-doula-or-nurse-or
-running-water-or-a-bed-or-option-of-pain-relief scenario.

Can you imagine? I mean--try to. It's unbelievably hard to even go there. Not only were there none of those comforts, (or necessities, as we'd think of them) there were additional factors thrown in, like lots of darkness in a cave-like structure, animal sounds, animal smells, who knows what kind of weather and elements involved...I am so awed that God chose that way to bring his baby boy into the world, and it was o.k. with Him. He wasn't shocked, or trying to punish Mary. He loved her and chose her to be His Son's mother, but still allowed her to begin motherhood in a really difficult way, even in that time and region of the world. Yes, she got a birth announcement like no other mom, as angels sang about her baby's entrance to the world, and sure, men traveled for months from across the world for a really awesome baby shower, but still... I am sure the journey to Bethlehem had already exhausted her, and I'm sure she hurt through that labor and delivery, but can you imagine the emotions and thoughts going through her mind as she birthed God's Son? What joy and awe she had to have felt! And, what kind of questions did she already have about how she'd help to raise Jesus? Did she know his life would be threatened by King Herod so soon? That she and Joseph would have to pack up and move to Egypt to escape his death threat?

The birth of one's first baby changes everything. Life isn't ever the same. For Mary, the changes were so dramatic and only foretold of the controversial life her Son would leave. His conception alone could've had her killed if Joseph hadn't been a godly, trusting man who paid attention to God's instructions. I guess I just realize in a different way how thankful I am for Mary's obedience and sacrifice. The fact that she'd want no honor or recognition just proves how God chose exactly the right person to be Jesus' mother. Just pondering these things in my heart...