“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born.” — Luke 2:6
Many parents vow never to say the word “No” to their child, because we’ve all heard children saying that dreaded word, “No!” I have never seen “no” on a vocabulary or spelling list, but every child seems to learn it quite quickly and easily. No, I don’t want to go. No, I don’t have to share. No, you’re not my mom; I don’t have to listen to you. No, I won’t wear those pants. No…
I wonder what words our children wish we, parents and grandparents, had never learned. I wonder if it might be, “Hurry up.” Have you ever stopped to watch yourself or other adults try to get children packed for school, off to practice, or dressed for church (really any event that has a starting time)? Hurry up and eat your lunch. Hurry up and get dressed. Hurry up and wash your hands. Hurry up; we’re going to be late. If you don’t hurry up, then you won’t get any snacks when we get home. The repetition of urgent words and accompanying threats never seem to end.
We often mistake urgent for important. As 21st Century Americans, we seem to think getting to multiple activities on time in the same day is important. When, in fact, urgency plays the biggest part in our schedules, but importance has very little to do with much of what we attempt. Urgency does not mean important, but importance demands urgency.
The birth of Jesus Christ is one of the most important events since the creation of the universe. Yet, it appears, God took His good and deliberate time in bringing it to pass. Through many different prophets thousands of years earlier, God announced that the Messiah was coming. The angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would give birth to God’s Son began a nine-month waiting period. The star announced the birth of the King of the Jews, but the Magi took two entire years to arrive in Bethlehem. Sounds much like a military slogan I once heard, “Hurry up and wait.”
The Gospel of Luke beautifully captures the timely importance of Christ’s birth. “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son” (2:6-7a). To any expectant parent, the phrase, “The time came for the baby to be born,” brought feelings of both relief and urgency to the new parents and the entire universe. Now is the time for God’s salvation plan to be revealed to human beings. The Savior has come!
The announcement of something this important requires a decisive response. The angels declared to the shepherds, “Today, in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). The shepherds responded as we would expect, “They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger” (2:16). Hurrying is typical for adults but how appropriate considering the importance of this event. How have you responded to the great news of Christ’s birth? Scripture tells us, “Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2).
Today is the time to believe. Now is the time to pray. Today is the time to allow God’s love and power to work in and through your life. Merry Christmas! May the importance of God’s gift not be lost in the urgency of your activities.
No comments:
Post a Comment