Lullay, lullayMy little tiny childBy-by, lullay, lullay Oh, sisters two how may we doFor to preserve this day? This poor youngling of whom we do sing Herod the King in his ragingCharged he hath this day His men of might in his own sightAll children young to slay Then...
The arrival of God to earth could have been the most extravagant welcome ever seen—an all-out effort for an over-the-top celebration. But it didn’t happen that way. A few private announcements confirmed the arrival of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah. But the Savior’s...
Oh, holy night! The stars are brightly shiningIt is the night of the dear Savior's birthLong lay the world in sin and error piningTill He appeared and the soul felt its worthA thrill of hope the weary world rejoicesFor yonder breaks a new and glorious morn Fall on...
Mary was an incredible servant to God – she was so obedient although her situation must have been terrifying. She trusted in His plan, even having no idea what His plan would look like. Did she know that her Son would walk on water? Did she know that her own baby boy would be her Savior?
I eagerly gazed out the plane’s window at the miniature-looking scene below. Snow blanketed the fields and tiny farms beneath me creating a winter wonderland.
The home that I grew up in had a large living room in the middle of the house, with high ceilings and a fireplace. This is where we set up our tree every Christmas. With the mantel decorated, and the tree twinkling happily with lights and years of collected ornaments and memories, it was the room that felt the most like Christmas.
My impression of the nativity scene as a child was similar to what many of us pictured, I’m sure. Baby Jesus lays in a cradle-like manger comfortably padded with soft hay. Stoic and peaceful livestock look reverently on, as do the wise men in their exotic garb.
Mary’s faith was deep, even as a teenager. God did not choose Mary by accident. He selected the perfect girl from Nazareth to carry His Son in her womb. And His choice was a girl whose initial reaction to the angel Gabriel was shock. But His choice was a girl who was obedient despite this.
“For nothing will be impossible with God. … Let it be to me according to Your word,” said Mary after Gabriel delivered the news. This faith would carry Mary through the highs and lows of her pregnancy.
I was recently joking with a friend that if I were to write a real-life version of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” it would focus around the sounds of children griping over logging into their virtual classes, the clang of dishes piling up in the sink, the ping as my husband texts asking if I’ve remembered to schedule a grocery pick up this week, and the buzzer on the dryer reminding me that, yet again, there is a mountain of laundry ready for me to fold.
One of my favorite parts of my morning routine is my walk outside. I walk early, before my husband and kids are awake and before the hustle and bustle of the day has begun. The stillness quiets my heart and mind. The beauty of nature around me reminds me of a God who is breathtakingly creative.
I believe that the peace of Jesus’s birth came not from silence but from those who believed and gazed on the beauty of the Chosen One, the babe who would strengthen their hope for total grace and forgiveness from God. This birth was a tangible sign of God’s love and desire to save His people, and it was the first of many wonders of Jesus Christ.
“I have no gift to bring that’s fit to give our king.”
Who can say that they haven’t felt this way at some point in their lives? And I don’t mean only lacking the financial resources to gift someone appropriately, but honestly couldn’t imagine a gift deserving of the person or persons it was intended for?
The evening Jesus was born would have begun as a typical evening for the shepherds who also called Israel home. What started as a peace-filled evening under an expansive, star-studded sky ended with celestial shouts of praise and a hasty journey to Bethlehem What magnificent sights and sounds to behold that night.