Have you been to Hobby Lobby lately? One would think it was just days before Christmas with all of the trees, lights, decorations, and reminders of Christ’s birth. It’s only October as I write this and five minutes into the store yesterday I began realizing I need to start shopping for Christmas gifts.
Halfway through the store, I received a FaceTime from Colorado and quickly ran to the car instead so I could enjoy a fun game of peek-a-boo with my almost 17-month-old grandson. I will quit whatever I’m in the middle of just to see that sweet little face, and it won’t be long before our 2-month-old can join in the fun. That FaceTime call likely kept me from spending quite a bit of money, but I didn’t escape the store before being reminded that the holidays are fast approaching. There is a good amount of shopping, meal planning, commitments, busyness, and expectations coming at all of us. It will be here before we know it, but this year my focus has begun to shift a wee bit.
As a child, I remember lying underneath our Christmas tree and gazing up into its magnificent lights. I loved playing with the nativity set, moving Joseph, Mary, and the wise men around. Year after year, we would come home late in the silence of the wintery night after midnight service, and rush over to the tree to lay baby Jesus in the little wooden crib filled with hay. Even as I grew older, that excitement never lessened.
I’m in the season of life now where I’m still attending baby showers, often for the friends of my adult sons, and can’t help but look around the room and realize I’m now one of the “older” women. (That was fast!)
It is so sweet to watch the excitement of these young women looking forward to the births of their long-anticipated precious new babies, periodically updating us with their latest “baby bump” on social media. Whether we’re birth mothers or spiritual mothers, we are all delighted for you, and grateful for the life God has brought you. It helps every one of us ponder the very miracle of giving birth – something only women get to do! And the awe and wonder over the birth of a new baby should never, ever become any less extraordinary as the years go by. It should delight us to listen to every birth story, whether it was last week, or many years ago. Those stories never get old or less astounding. Even my 88-year-old mother still calls me early in the morning of each of my birthdays and says, “Rita, 62 years ago today……”
But with the addition of two, and likely soon three grandchildren just this year – I’m finding myself thinking more about how miraculous the birth of Jesus was for Mary. Aside from weddings, I’m certain she attended many baby showers and celebrated births with friends and family, always being reminded of that famous silent night when her own Son was born. It’s also very likely that Mary told the story over and over, even on the mornings of each of her Son’s 33 birthdays.
Can you just imagine her waking Jesus up and saying, “Happy Birthday, Son!…. 33 years ago today, in a small stable in Bethlehem….” Oh, I’ll just bet He graciously and sweetly listened to His mother re-tell the details of His birth year after year. I’m so much more grateful this year for Mary’s obedience.
May we never, ever, lose the wonder of the entire birth experience, and especially that of our Savior. Instead of the bright lights and the store shelves reminding us of the season, let’s let every baby bump we see move us to awe as we remember the greatest birth that ever took place. Our Savior left heaven, and became flesh to dwell among us (John 1:14). And this is a truth worth treasuring and pondering in our hearts, just like Mary did.
“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.” Luke 2:19
The greatest birth in all of history made salvation and the promise of eternal life possible for you and I – and you will not find that on a shelf. If this is confusing or new for you, if you have any questions, or find yourself pondering this for the very first time, please don’t hesitate to call the church office, talk to an elder after service, or reach out to Zeola and her team. They would all just love to tell you in more detail the greatest story ever told.
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