Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: The Reason for the Season of Christmas (12/04/08)
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TITLE: I Wonder What She Pondered... | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lillian Holcomb
12/10/08 -
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How much did she really know? Was she ready to actually be the mother of the Savior of mankind and the creator of the world? Did she realize that her baby was made up of real flesh and blood and she would have to bandage those skinned knees when he fell at play? Did she know that her authority would be usurped by the great wisdom and determination in front of those Jewish leaders? Did she know that her son would love and care for her in the worst moments of His life? Ummm…I wonder.
She must have been awfully tired and worn out from riding a donkey those 100 miles she and Joseph travelled. Why, the stigma was more than humiliating to know she was showing great with child, riding on this donkey, making her way through Jerusalem, and then down to Bethlehem. I wonder what Mary thought about Jesus since he didn’t leave her behind to give birth by herself… when the baby wasn’t even his. Ummm, it must have only been by his obedience to God that kept him from leaving her. Joseph must have really loved her and cared for her.
And then, when they entered Bethlehem, they tried to find a room in an inn, but they were turned away only to find themselves led to a stable – living quarters for animals. Ummm…I wonder if the innkeeper even knew that Mary was pregnant – or even cared? Didn’t Mary say anything?
If I’d had been Mary, I would have spoken up and said, “Please! You have to understand! I’m carrying a very special baby! He shouldn’t have to be born in a stable. Joseph, tell the man who we are!” But not humble Mary, keeping within the culture of her day and time. I suppose that at that time she just wanted to pop out that baby and get it over with. Forget about the place!
LOL! (smile) She certainly didn’t have instant pictures to send to her family back in Nazareth, but her delivery certainly didn’t go unannounced. Gentle Mary didn’t say much of anything, but Big Daddy God wanted the whole world to know that His Son had finally come…to bring peace to the world.
Ummm…peace…how can a little baby who only suckles up to his mother’s breast bring peace to mankind? Just how was this to be accomplished? Ummm…you know, if we did turn the other cheek, if we loved each other as Jesus taught us to, if we lived as Jesus lived, loving the sinners and the unlovely, then yeah…we really would have peace. He even fought off his troublemakers with mere words, leaving them speechless. Not only did he teach us how to treat each other, but he lived a perfect life and died as a sacrifice.
A sacrifice…now there’s a unique idea!
The music stopped playing while my thoughts kept coming. I quietly rose up from my rocker, walked over to the crib, and gently laid my son down in his crib. And as I gazed down at my son who was sound asleep, his little arms outstretched to either side of his tiny body, another thought of Mary came to me. My tears dripped on my son’s sheets as I wondered if Mary saw the same thing I saw - the reason for O Holy Night and twinkling lights. It was the image of my Lord dying a sinners’ death for me. Did she really know what was going to happen to her son? Could she protect her son? Could she have known that her own blood would be shed out of pure love for the world…and even me?
And dropping on to my knees – right there in my son’s nursery, raising my hands heavenward, I praised my God in the highest, claiming peace on earth, good will toward men!
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