Like many American families, we enjoy the tradition of hanging our stockings on the mantle over the fireplace. When our children became adults, we modified our tradition a bit to begin including their spouses. Every family members’ stocking now hangs under their baby picture. This year we have a new stocking to hang for our little Annabelle. But her picture is a little different; it's a sonogram. You see, Annabelle hasn't been born yet, she's due February 2, 2013.
Despite the fact that she hasn't yet arrived, Annabelle is very much with us, and she is very much a unique person to us. The other day, I was talking with my daughter, Joy, who is Annabelle's mother. She was telling me how she already “knows” Annabelle as an individual, and even though Annabelle has done nothing yet, Joy has fallen completely in love with her. Annabelle already occupies the hearts of both Joy and Kuoching, her husband.
The conversation reminded me of the anticipation and joy that my wife, Sue, and I shared as we waited for the birth of each of our children. And I thought back to that first Christmas and tried to imagine the excitement that Mary and Joseph shared as they waited for the birth of Jesus. How did Mary experience the personhood of God within her? We know His presence was there, for when Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth who was also pregnant, the baby in Elizabeth's womb, the future John the Baptist, leapt for joy at experiencing Jesus in Mary's womb.
We know that God was overjoyed at the birth of His Son, Jesus, for He sent a host of angels to give the birth announcement. But I think that Father God's joy on that first Christmas was also in anticipation of the future births of a whole family of sons and daughters.
We are told in Psalm 139:13–14 a, “You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” And again in Jeremiah 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart.”
Did you know that you were on God's mind and heart before you were ever born? That He had a plan and a wonderful destiny for you even as you were being conceived and formed before birth? Before you had ever done one thing, Father God was completely in love with you. No matter what your personal circumstances, you were anticipated; you were wanted; you were birthed in love. God meant for you to come into being, and to be here now.
Why not make this Christmas the most unique one of your life by saying “yes” to the love of your Heavenly Father? Let God spiritually birth you in love and welcome you to His forever family. He is a Father you can completely trust.
Come join us this Sunday for a special Christmas celebration at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. I will be completing the series on “Mary's Faith.”
Pastor Che
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