Not Such a Silent Night

This Christmas I can sympathize with Mary. 

I can only imagine how hard the trip to Bethlehem would have been for her, pregnant and tired. Swollen feet and an achy back don't really make for pleasant traveling conditions. 

I can imagine the fear she must felt having to leave her mother and her sisters to go be with Joseph's family for the birth of her first child. Probably having a midwife and birth attendants she didn't know. 

I often think of the night Jesus was born as a beautiful night, with angels singing, and stars shining brightly in the sky as heaven rejoiced in the Savior. 

But it was also a very long and painful night. It was messy and full of tears as Mary struggled to birth her son.

The son she had carried for 9 months. 

The son she had patiently waited for, counting down the days until he would enter the world.  

The son she hadn't planned on but grew to love and long for. 

I can imagine the joy she must have felt as she held her baby close to her for the first time, exhausted and exhilarated after hours of labor. 

Yes, he would be the Messiah, the Savior of the World, but right then, as she bound him tightly and laid him in the manger, he was her baby, her precious bundle of joy. 

This Christmas as I reflect on Mary's heart I'm humbled. 

I have to ask myself, "what would I have said?" What would I have said, if they angel had come to me as an unmarried woman with plans of my own and told me that I would bare a child?

A couple of years ago, I doubt my first response would have been one of joy, but rather fear, confusion, and despair. Submitting to God's will and his blessing for my family was secondary to my plan and what I thought was best. 

However, as we approach the birth of our second child, I am starting to really consider just how blessed I am. I'm not Mary and my children are definitely not Jesus, but they are blessings. Blessings given to me to love, nurture, and disciple. I get to watch them grow in wisdom and stature. It's a big responsibility, one I must accept with joy. 

And if the Lord sees fit to bless me again, I pray I will be just as gracious as Mary, even if the next baby doesn't fit into my time table and my plan.  

I pray that I will be willing to lay aside my fear and humble myself, submitting to God's plan even in the most inconvenient of circumstances. 

I pray that I my tired and trembling heart would say, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior" (Luke 2:46-47). 

Have you heard the Point of Grace song "Labor of Love"? Such a sweet reminder of what Mary went through from a mother's perspective.