Six weeks before I joined the staff here at FirstChurch I gave
birth to my second son. For 40 VERY long
weeks I anticipated his arrival and all that would come with it. Would his big
brother squish him? Could I even handle two boys? How on earth could I add
another human being to my household and still get the laundry done? It was 40
weeks of patience, anticipation, waiting and prayer. Finally the day came and
Case entered our world. I was reminded of how short 40 weeks really was and we
began our life as a family of four. My questions changed: Who will these boys grow
up to be? What will they contribute to the world? I have realized that being a
parent means being comfortable with the questions.
As we experience this Advent season together I reflect on
Mary and the questions she faced. Who was this baby she was carrying? What
would it mean for his life to be the son of God? In anticipation of the
celebration of the birth of her baby boy how could she truly know what his mark
on this world would be? This time of reflection for us comes with the comfort
of knowing the end. Our bible verses today remind us of the magnitude of what
this one baby would bring to each of our stories for millions of years to come.
“But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
You see, in the celebration of the birth of Jesus we find
comfort in the grace that God has given us. With the birth of this small baby
comes the promise that in his death we will find forgiveness. Whether we are
looking for forgiveness for our cranky moods, finding joy in the laughter of
the season, searching for a love that we’ve forgotten, celebrating with family
or struggling to make it through today, we can find love in the celebration of
Christ’s birth, for in his death we found new life. We can take a moment to see
the beauty in the gift that was given and share that gift with someone we
love.
That is the challenge I have given myself today and hope
that you will consider for yourself. No matter where we are in our own
journeys, let’s take the time today to encourage someone else in theirs. In the birth of a small baby, in the birth of Jesus, we find the
promise of so much more. What will we contribute to the world? What will our
birth mean? Who will we grow up to be? The answers to the questions are open
and we write our own answers at any age. Today, we can help to give so much
more to those around us. What a perfect gift to give in this season; the gift
of encouragement. Tell someone the good
news today. Share this blog, pray with a friend, send a note… and remember the
true magnitude of the birthday we soon celebrate.
Jennifer Tolin, Director of Connectional Ministries
