reality

A young teenager waits as her body begins to have a mind of its own. What is happening? What do I do? How long will this take? Where will it happen? Can you even imagine?
I remember the first time I went into labor. I was scared. I thought the car ride to the hospital would never end. Could Jeff possibly hit any MORE bumps? Was he trying to make this hard? I was so uncomfortable and that was just what I was feeling in between contractions! Mary, a young teenager, had just ridden a donkey – for a long distance. If you’re not use to riding animals, after a couple of hours you are feeling the pain. Imagine doing that, pregnant. No paved roads, no way to avoid the bumps.
When we arrived at the hospital there was a great staff to greet us and help us along. Jeff was able to step aside and allow the nurses and doctors to help me. He provided moral support but he wasn’t expected to guide me through this. When they arrived in Bethlehem, they couldn’t find a place to stay. I am sure Joseph was hoping he would find not only a warm, comfortable place for Mary to have their baby, but hopefully some kind, knowledgeable women-folk to help her through this birth while he paced outside. What did he know about ‘birthing babies’? Probably nothing. And a barn? That is where it would happen. For the most incredible human birth in all of history…a barn. When I lived with my parents, we had horses. I spent a good deal of my time in a barn. All of the romantic pictures or nativity scenes we see about the birth of Jesus show a nice, tidy stable. I have never seen a manger scene that depicts the reality of a barn – you know what I mean. Maybe we could include some aroma therapy? Or perhaps a rat or two watching the young mother struggle to bear this child?
Then there is the birth itself. If you have never been part of one of the most amazing miracles God has graced us with, you may not be aware that it is also one of the messiest. Nothing neat and tidy about giving birth. Straining, groaning, grunting, pushing, fluid, blood….you get the idea. My point is we so often push past the reality of this event right to the outcome. When we do that we brush past the humanity of the individuals involved…Mary, Joseph and Jesus.

Mary gave birth just like women do now without all of the technology. No support except a husband who was probably scared witless. No angel came to talk them through this part of the journey. Two young people all alone waiting helplessly for their baby to be born. And Jesus- a little, tiny baby being squashed and compressed as Mary’s body did what pregnant-ready-to-deliver bodies do.
And today, that is where we are in the story. Waiting still. We are on the eve of the celebration of the birth that, I am assuming, if you are reading this blog, has changed your life and my life.
Today – be mindful that although it was the most spectacular birth in the entire history of the world, it was also an ordinary birth with all the pain, fear, excitement and mess that comes with every birth. Tomorrow we celebrate the Savior King who came to ransom us and build us a bridge back to God. Today, consider his humanity and the humanity of his parents who said ‘yes’ to this crazy, unknown, scary journey. Offer a prayer of thanks for the messy beauty of it all.

Grace and peace,
Deb