Like most biological moms, I remember being pregnant and my beautiful daughter being born like it was yesterday. I remember finding out, the fear and excitement, my body changing and growing. Our families were so excited. She was the first baby in a long time on all sides of the family. Liv is 12 now, so we were not in the trend of having gender reveal parties. We were pretty sure she was a girl though. Jeremy went to every doctor appointment with me. We had a birth plan. We went to classes. We brought her home and still didn’t know what we were doing but we figured it out, for the most part.
On the Eve of Jesus’ birthday, I can’t help but wonder what his mom Mary was thinking and feeling on this day 2018 years ago. She was a young girl, so I can imagine she was feeling excited, fearful, unsure. At some point she must have thought, Is this really happening? If this is God’s Son, why am I giving birth in a dirty, unsanitary barn? How can this be? It makes no human sense. She didn’t have an epidural or a birth plan.
Then there was Joseph. His fiancee is pregnant and having a baby that’s not his. What a man of faith. What a man of love. He stood by her side.
Jesus came into this world in a lowly, humble way. As a vulnerable baby, in a messy barn. He came to save us not as a rich earthly king or a knight in shining armor but in the most unpretentious way possible. God could have brought us a savior any way he wanted. And He chose this way.
When you see a mess, God sees a miracle waiting to happen. It’s often in our deepest pain, He can show us His greatest power.
Mary had great faith. Faith that I cannot even imagine. A weight of responsibility. Raising the Son Of God.
As we celebrate Christmas this year, I hope we can take a moment to pause and remember the manger. Remember the great faith of Mary. Remember the King of the Universe came to save you and me by being born in a filthy dirty place. By coming into this world to save it as a tiny baby boy. There is always beauty in the mess. You just have to look for it.
I hope your Holiday is filled with love, hope and peace. If it is a hard time for you, as it is for many, I pray you can find hope. Reach out to friends and family. Talk to God. He is readily awaiting for conversations with us. He is just a prayer away.
Here is a song that has always made me pause.