“Mary. If we stay here, we’ll die.”
I can picture Joseph’s worried facial expression cast in Mary’s direction; his quickened pace around their tiny home to gather a remnant of their belongings. They couldn’t take much with them except the essentials….and each other. And they had to move fast. The King was going on a killing spree; and they and their unborn child were in danger. If there were any moments where second guessing God was normal, this was it.
Joseph already had his concerns when the angel appeared to him the night after Mary told him she would be carrying the Messiah. And justifiably so. But he loved Mary. And he trusted God. So, he leaned into the impending future; where prophecy met reality. What he did not anticipate, was that the Kingdom would be furious over a baby. And that they would have to leave the only home they’ve ever known, because a powerful man felt threatened by a child. He figured the time would come where baby Jesus would grow into a man and have his day to stand up to the ruler of the world. But not today….Mary and Joseph were already sacrificing so much, and Jesus was not yet earthside.
Joseph met Mary’s gaze; her eyes as soft as the day he met her. It’s like she’d already seen the face of God and he was comforted by her calm.
“God is watching over us, my dear husband. He is literally here. We have no need to be afraid, because there is a place prepared.
Pausing, Joseph reached out to grab Mary’s extended hand. Her breaths were momentarily erratic. She closed her eyes and took a moment to steady her breathing.
“…it’s almost time”, she whispered. “I’m ready, let’s be on our way.”
*******************
The moment I came to believe in Jesus Christ, I first visualized him as a baby. Flashes of his tiny, innocent frame. Softened coos. Small hands grasping at the sides of his manger and reaching up towards his mother. His eyes bright and wide. Perfect curly hair and bronzed skin. God in the form of the most vulnerable living thing ever created: a human baby. Why a baby? Why not a decorated war general? Or a wise politician who knew how to maneuver public relations?
So curious to me that the One designated to be the Savior of the World entered this way. The horrible, gruesome, beautiful death that he faced at the end of his life contrasted by the beautiful, miraculous birth. And the Bible never details how Jesus was born. How long Mary labored. I can imagine the end result of holding baby Jesus in her arms provided some motivation to endure. And yet, I would understand if her pregnancy and the earliest days of Jesus’s life were filled with fear, anger, and regret. Why would God allow her to love a baby meant to die? To this day, I find myself totally in awe of Mary.
But what’s most impactful to me is how the story of sacrifice rings true today. When given a divine purpose, we anticipate a great crowd of enthralled witnesses, applauding, and a red carpet to walk on. For our revealing to be exciting and bright. Instead, we find that purpose looks more like a story with a murderous king, scarcity and lack, and a dirt floor strewn with old hay as a backdrop. Our gift from God being held in an old manager in the corner. We desire a rescue that comes in the form of a strong, powerful hero and instead we get a frail, tiny newborn. I can imagine Mary asking, “Lord, is THIS the way? Is THIS what you always had in mind?” It feels confusing, unfair, and strange.
Yet God’s ways are said to be perfect and wise. And even when we fail to trace the logic in his plan; there is so much ahead that we cannot anticipate. Like shepherds and wise men with treasures following a star. Or the furious pace of which the word got out of a little baby that has come to save the whole world. The hushed swell of hope that arose from tiny towns desperate for a sign…
Be Still. {The Blog} 