Saturday, December 23
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7 (KJV)
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
When I was in the hospital preparing to deliver my oldest son, the doctor came in with a concerned look on his face. “The baby is breech and in distress,” the doctor said, “We need to get him out right now. We need to perform a C-section.”
Trey and I thought we had hours to go, and this sudden news of a very quick delivery took us by surprise. Trey declared that he would go down and get our bags, and when the nurses told him there would be no time and he needed to don a gown in order to go with me into the delivery room, Trey became weak in the knees and had to sit immediately while the nurses brought juice to fortify him for the minutes ahead.
I imagine Joseph feeling the same way. His wife was ready to deliver the child, and the baby would come very soon. There was no place to stay, and when they finally found a place, it was a mere stable, a tiny room carved out for animals and their feed. What a surprise! What a cause for worry!
I’m sure he could have used some juice to fortify him for the moments to come!
Trey was weak at the thought of our son or of me being hurt or unsafe. I imagine Joseph felt the same way.
Still, the Christ-child came in the midst of strange, unlikely, and lowly circumstances. He came! Mary and Joseph new this baby was the Messiah, and his arrival must have been daunting.
I praise God for Mary and Joseph, and the difficulty they endured at the start of Jesus’ life.
Tradition holds that Jesus birth was followed by a few moments of still, quiet reverence. May we too be quiet for just a moment and take in the vast meaning of the birth of our savior.
Pray: Jesus, let me be still and know you are God. Amen
Friday, December 22
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign:
The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
This passage is quoted in the Gospel of Matthew (1:23). Matthew says:
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Matthew is calling attention Isaiah’s prophecy in order to make it clear to Jewish persons that the happenings of Jesus’ birth were written in the book of Isaiah - part of the Hebrew scriptures. He takes the old familiar and makes brings new meaning into it.
Some of America’s familiar Christmas components are Santa, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Christmas carols and presents under the tree. How can we change the meaning, like Matthew did with the Isaiah passage?
Santa gives to all just like Jesus gave to all.
Rudolph offered his ability to help. Christmas carols are fun, and the old toe-tappers from the 40s, 50s and 60s make us smile. Let’s remember that the joyous music can help us recall the first Christmas music, the music angels sang while shepherds kept their sheep.
Presents under the tree remind us of God’s gift in Christ.
Pray: Lord, help me to find true meaning in all of the seasons traditions. Help me to remember that it came from you and is all for you. Amen
Thursday, December 21
The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Romans 13:11-12
And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
Have you ever seen a child running around with light-up sneakers? They are so excited about that light, especially when it’s dark! I once saw a child running around with his shiny shoes, then stopping to see them, yet when he stopped the lights stopped flashing. He would run and stop, run and stop. The poor guy never got to see the light unless he was moving!
The same is not true for us as we look for Christ’s light.
Stopping to look does not mean Christ’s light in us grows dim. Thankfully, Jesus is not a pair of children’s sneakers! Christ’s light continues even when we stop.
Light comes in quiet reflections, and we must remember that the way to move toward Christmas includes resting in His love.
Pray: Help me to remember that, even though my calendar is filled with sparkly joyous events, joy comes in stillness too. Amen