Saturday, December 24, 2011

Mary


It's the morning of Christmas Eve and I am sitting at my kitchen table listening to the sounds of my three boys banter back and forth over who is going to eat the last cookie on the counter (for now...gotta ration the Christmas cookies) and as typical for me this time of year, my thoughts are on Mary.

Jesus' mama.

I keep thinking about her...holding her head high when telling people she was pregnant in a time when getting pregnant out of wedlock was just not cool.  I'm pretty sure she (and Joseph) lost friends and family members over this.  Holding her head high, knowing that she was different.

But her story...it was really just beginning.

Even though this baby was going to change the world, Mary still had to go through pregnancy...and then at the point when she was so close to birth and probably really uncomfortable, she had to travel.  People needed to be counted, pregnant or not, and she had no say in the matter.

Onto a donkey she climbed for the journey.

And Joseph?  I picture him as being quiet and loving and calm, yet probably a little stressed...his wife (that he probably didn't know all that well) was REALLY pregnant.  And then going from home to home looking for a room to stay in when they arrived in Bethlehem?  They must've been tired.   And cold.  And achy.  And just done with the whole travel thing.

But their night...it was really just beginning.

Into the barn they go...and then?  Was all really calm?  Giving birth isn't a walk in the park...it's hard work.  I'm sure the night was long as she labored and pushed her baby out.  

In the end, it wasn't just a Savior that was born...but her very own baby.  The love she must have felt in the dark of that night for that little baby, for the Savior, was what anyone who has held any child (birthed or not birthed) they love has felt.  Add in the feeling of relief that the journey was over, that the pregnancy was over.

They swaddled him and rocked him and held him and loved  him, knowing their baby was going to change the world.

The real journey...it was just beginning.


For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Is. 9:6



2 comments:

  1. Michele,
    You would probably love this meditation on Mary and the Magnificat. It was originally a Sunday evening sermon by John Piper. I found it last year when I needed to give a Christmas devotional. I saved the link because I liked it so much!

    http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/meditation-on-the-magnificat

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are such a great writer!!! I envy that about you!!
    Great post! xoxo

    ReplyDelete

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