Christmas Meditations

Hello to all of my readers! Today I am so excited to be able to introduce a guest writer–the very first on Upheld by His Grace. This guest writer is a wife, mama, one of my very best friends, and…my older sister! She wrote these thoughts several years ago while expecting her first little one. Thank you so much for sharing, Emily!

This year at Christmas, as I wait for the birth of my first child, only a few weeks away, the familiar story of Jesus’ birth takes on new meaning to me. I feel a new understanding and appreciation for Mary, the woman God chose to be the vessel through which Christ came into the world. As my nesting urges kick in and I want the house to be spotless, free of germs, and comfortable for the birth of a tiny little baby, I think of where our Saviour was born… in a stable.

            There was no cozy bassinet with soft, warm sheets and a fuzzy blanket. No comfortable bed, or cot, even, for Mary to rest on. No dresser full of adorable baby clothes waiting and ready to dress the baby with… just some swaddling cloths. My newly awakened mommy-mind wonders if they were clean, and freshly washed, but realizes that they probably were not, at least, not as clean as a new first-time mother would want. The few crumbs on my floor, that I haven’t had time to sweep up yet, pale in comparison to what the stable must have looked like. Even the cleanest of barns still look and smell, well, a little like animals and a barnyard! There was no heater set to a comfortable temperature, maybe no pillows and blankets. That list of birthing supplies the midwife wanted me to have ready- I wonder what was available that night when Jesus was born? Did they even have warm water? I imagine it would be a bit scary to go through a birth alone with your husband, both of you inexperienced, for the first time!

            Then I think of the method of transportation available to Mary and Joseph as they took their journey to Bethlehem…riding on the back of a donkey. I know that late in pregnancy is not the ideal time to travel a considerable distance… I think of how my own back gets achy by the end of the day and how it is not comfortable to stand, sit, or walk for extended periods of time. Sometimes, the only relief comes from laying down to rest awhile. I wonder if Mary had enough to eat and drink along the way, considering how I am able to go to the cupboard and refrigerator and find refreshment whenever I need to. And was the stable quiet, were the animals well-mannered? It’s doubtful, and perhaps there was the hustle and bustle of people bringing animals in and out of the stable as they came and went from the crowded inn.

            Considering these things makes me feel rather wimpy… but more importantly, it impresses on my mind a few things about that special night and birth so long ago. I think of how I want things to be perfect for my first little baby… and then I think of the Perfectness of Jesus Christ and how unperfect things were at His birth! If ever a baby deserved the best, would it not have been Him? Yet, the humility of the Lord Jesus Christ shines through, right from His very birth! Not only did He humble Himself to be born as all humans are, but in less-than-ideal conditions! I know they didn’t have all the modern conveniences of our day, but still, I think most babies were not born in a stable and laid in a manger that animals had been eating from. Philippians 2: 7-8 says, “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon himself the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” And II Corinthians 8:9 says, “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.” Wow! Jesus left so much behind, in heaven, to come to earth in poverty, as a baby, FOR US! What an example of humility and grace! He did this willingly, no one forced it upon Him or made Him do this… He chose to, out of love for you and me!

            Then, I think also of the faith of Mary as she willingly obeyed God’s will…the Bible records her simple answer to the angel’s startling announcement in Luke 1:38: “And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.” There must have so many ‘unknowns’ for her as to how this marvelous thing would take place, and why she was chosen, and when exactly it would happen, and so on! But she didn’t question or complain, she just accepted God’s will! Her example is a motivation to me to trust God more even when I don’t understand what His plan is, to rest in the knowledge that He is constantly in control and orchestrating the events of my life. Like Mary did, I want to unconditionally turn my life over to God and let Him plan and control the details.

            This Christmas, may you find new appreciation for the great sacrifice Jesus made by coming to earth as a baby, and the humility he displayed! May you be challenged to a deeper faith in the Lord as you seek to follow His will, day by day, in simple trust and willingness! ~Emily, written on December 25th, 2017