The Word in the Wings
The Word in the Wings > No Crib For A Bed
No Crib For A Bed
By: Audrey Hammitt
I’m not sure how your year and advent season have been going, but I’ve been feeling a bit worn out for the past month or so. Despite still completing some tasks and managing the responsibilities I juggle, balls of my life still seem to fall, and I get frustrated and disappointed at myself for not achieving excellence. I justify my perfectionism by saying, “I want to give God my very best,” but when I fall short of my expectations for myself, I neglect to acknowledge the grace and open arms God extends to me. Although in my head I know I can’t be perfect, my heart is reluctant to accept this reality. However, this advent season I thought about another young woman, Mary, who might have also felt less-than-ideal before her King, yet participated in the delivery of the greatest gift, Jesus.
When Luke zooms in on the life of a girl in Nazareth named Mary, the only facts we know about her are that she is engaged to a descendant of David, Joseph, and that she is a virgin. There are no merits, achievements, titles, or character traits included about Mary at this point, yet God chooses her to be the earthly mother of Jesus. Mary’s interaction with the angel Gabriel reveals her faith in God and obedience to the call He placed on her life, as she says, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Further, it is clear Mary is a willing and grateful vessel of Jesus and the Holy Spirit through her song in the presence of her cousin, Elizabeth.
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowly state of his servant. Surely from now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name; indeed, his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation” (Luke 1:46-50).
"Mary's interaction with the angel gabriel reveals her faith in god..."
Mary acknowledges that she has no high position in the eyes of man, yet God decided to look upon her with unmerited favor. She does not try to take credit for what God has done for her, but instead praises Him for His mercy and kindness. We must not let our good works or lack there of claim ownership over our true identity as a beloved son or daughter of God.
After spending 3 months with Elizabeth, Mary and her betrothed, Joseph, have to travel to Bethlehem due to a census. Although Joseph is descended from David and from the city of Bethlehem, none of his family members invite him and his very pregnant wife to stay in their home. I can imagine the discomfort Mary feels physically as well as emotionally, as she is away from her home in Nazareth. My sister-in-law is currently pregnant with a baby girl, and she is due in January. The ideal situation would be to remain local to the doctor and hospital they are familiar with near their home, especially since she could go into labor at any point in the next few weeks. In contrast, Mary doesn’t have a choice to stay behind with what was familiar and comfortable, yet no complaint is documented in her birth accounts. As a result of the influx of out-of-town Bethlehemites, the local inn is completely full, and Mary and Joseph receive no special pregnancy privileges or discounts. Soon, Mary goes into labor, and we learn she puts the child into a manger, which would be found in a stable, meaning the closest thing to a family these new parents are surrounded by are animals.
"...what would it look like to welcome jesus into your current moment?"
This point in the story is what struck me the most this year. If I were Mary, I would have felt flustered and deeply disappointed that I couldn’t provide the savior of the world, Jesus, a safe, clean, warm entry into the world. It is absolutely less-than-ideal to be left with no option other than a stable to give birth to your immaculately-conceived and holy Son of God. Yet, this is precisely where God chose to enter into this world. The mainstream pictures and descriptions of the Nativity depict peaceful farm animals, clean cloths, and soft pads of hay to kneel and lie on. However, I’d assume the animals were unsettled (to say the least) to have to accommodate this little family, as well as the nearby shepherds who came to see the scene. This doesn’t even touch on the types of smells and mess found within the stable. While I’m putting aside the idyllic image you might have of Jesus’ birth, I hope the tangible realities of the event stir even more reverence and awe in your heart, because although it was less-than-perfect in our own standards, this is what pleased God to dwell with mankind.
I encourage you to look at your life in this present moment. What is weighing on your mind? What are the messy things you are wading through? How is this Christmas season different than last year’s, or than many years’? How does your body feel? How would you describe the quality of your relationships? Whatever the statuses of these aspects of your life, take a breath here. God knows every factor of the ins and outs of each of these. What would it look like for you to welcome Jesus into your current moment? You don’t need to clean up yourself before He meets you there, just as the stable Mary and Joseph found was likely not childproof or suited to humans. Whatever you are bringing (or not bringing) into Christmas this year, I pray you would more deeply know your Emmanuel. He is God with us in our pain. He is God with us in our joy. He is God with us in our longing. He is God with us in our contentment. I’m guessing that first Christmas was not a silent night, but I know for a fact it was indeed a holy night, because our Savior, Lamb, and King had come, and now reigns at the right hand of God. So come, all ye faithful, and come, all ye unfaithful, and adore our Lord who clothed himself in flesh so that we could be clothed in Christ.
