One of the most enjoyable parts of MOPS for me on Wednesdays is when I'm able to share a devotion with the group. Often times, I try to incorporate bits of my life in a very transparent way; I'm not up there to chastise, scold or make any other mom feel inadequate. Instead, I try to take a section of scripture and make it applicable for everyone sitting in that room. And many times I find myself standing there completely vulnerable, holding back tears and pausing to gather my emotions before proceeding.
Last week was no exception. I selected a portion of the Christmas story from the second chapter of Luke and gave, hopefully, a new perspective on the birth of Christ. A perspective from that of a mom. With Christmas just three days away, I thought it seemed appropriate to share it here.
Luke 2:4-7
4So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
It’s amazing how many baby tools, gadgets and gear we have nowadays to help assist us as moms, right? There’s pre-measured travel packs of formula, warmers for wipes, and self-swaddling blankets for baby to have the best sleep. There’s industry safety standards for everything from cribs to car seats. And should the Playtex bottles make baby too gassy, there’s the option to switch to Avent, Dr. Browns, or Born Free. At every age and stage, there’s something new and exciting for Baby to try. And it only continues as our children get older.
This might sound strange, but as Christmas approaches I’ve been looking at Andrew a lot lately and thinking about Jesus as a tiny little baby and likewise, about Mary and her role as mom.
Since arriving on Planet Mom*, I’ve taken a new perspective on what Joseph and Mary went through the day that Jesus was born. Here they were, out of town to be counted in a census, not married yet, but pregnant nonetheless and far, far away from home. And Mary goes into labor. It wasn’t like Joseph pulled the family sedan around and said, “Hop in honey, I’ll take us to the nearest hospital.” It’s more like, “Saddle up on to this here donkey and let’s see who in town will be willing to accommodate us.”
When I look back on my labor and delivery with Andrew and think about that lame excuse for an anesthesiologist who assured me the epidural would work wonders (ha!), when I think about that unimaginable pain I endured over the course of five short hours, I start to ponder how long Mary labored. The Bible doesn’t go into detail, but I still wonder… Did she scream like me? Feel helpless like me? And when it was all over, and that new baby boy entered the world, did she, just like me, love the feeling of having him heavy and warm up on her chest, listening to that fresh cry, feeling relieved and joyous all at the same time?
Mary certainly didn’t labor in a fancy birthing suite, where equipment falls from the ceiling and medical staff are at every turn. There wasn’t a sterilized warming bed for baby Jesus to hang out in, he wasn’t given an Apgar score, no one looked at the clock and called the time of birth. Instead he was wrapped in random cloths and placed in a straw-filled feeding trough. A far cry from our modern conveniences today.
Those marked differences in delivery are actually quite significant and something that I hope we remember during the Christmas season. God chose to send Jesus - the Savior for all, a very special King - into the world as a tiny baby, born a simple human. There wasn’t pomp and circumstance surrounding Mary’s pregnancy, no baby showers, no parties, and on that day in Bethlehem, Joseph wasn’t making phone calls announcing the news (that’s what the angels were for!).
No. This was God’s plan: that Jesus came into the world in such a way that every generation thereafter could stop and realize that this baby who went on to be an amazing man, was just that… amazing and different then anyone could have imagined. Jesus came to us in such a humble way that makes us consider him completely different then any other.
So if you get a moment between now and next Friday, stop and think about that amazing day so long ago. Can you smell the animals in the barn? Feel the discomfort of Mary? The uncertainty of Joseph? Try to put yourself there, to experience Christ in a way you never have before. And reflect on his remarkable birth.
Father God, I thank you tremendously for sending your son, Jesus, into the world and for sending him in such a way that makes us pause, reflect and realize how amazing you really are. Help us to remember that Christmas is all about the miracle of birth of one very special baby, unlike any other. Please be with each and every one of us during Christmas as we celebrate with our families and friends. Keep us safe, and bring us back in the new year refreshed, uplifted and excited about your incredible gift, Jesus. Bless our time together this morning, Lord. In your holy name I pray. Amen.
*Planet Mom is the theme for the 2009-2010 MOPS year.
Merry Christmas from our family to yours.
