“Joseph,
Joseph … he kicked me! feel! Look, he is pushing with his foot, right
here!” The little one within her began
to move! Some have called this moment
“quickening” but life was there long before any of this. And this Life was definitely moving long
before anything! One of his disciples
would later write about this Cosmic Lord, Creator of all, very Word of
God. But, for now, He was forming,
moving, growing, all within the belly of his mother, Mary. And, she surely marveled, “… until this child
be formed within me …??”
There was no
room in the Inn. So, He drew his first
breath, in this world, in the stables, laid in a manger, in wraps of
cloth. He took in sustenance, and began
His journey among us. He would grow into
the very image of God, a servant, the Savior, very Lamb of God, and High
Priest, reconciling us to Heaven. But, Bethlehem
missed their moment, as so many others would miss their opportunity to meet and
be moved by this man child, the Son of Man.
He was born in their village, but not in their hearts. As Mary was overshadowed by the Most High, we
too must come under the engendering power of Heaven, with Him being formed within
us.
At the tender
age of twelve, he had the Sages and Teachers of Jerusalem rubbing their heads,
in amazement, as he questioned and answered them in His Father’s house. Years later some of these same men would meet
Him again, and marvel at His teaching. But,
so many would turn away in hard-hearted stubbornness. For now, Jesus went home with his road-weary,
wonder-filled parents. One can only
wonder what Joseph thought of this young man.
But, we are told that Mary pondered these things in her heart. Jesus went home with them to his father’s
house, obedient, growing “in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and
man.” (Luke2:52) Did He smile,
knowingly, as others wondered?
He plainly
and powerfully revealed himself to the Samaritan woman, declaring, “… if you
knew …” (the gift and the giver) and then began to speak of living water and
the Spirit., and never thirsting again! (John 4) In another place, He had earlier confused
Nicodemus with talk of being born of the water and the Spirit. New Birth?!
Starting over and growing up afresh?
(John 3) Who does not want this refreshing water, this fresh start, this
new beginning? Parched, stunted,
distorted, twisted lives given eden-like regeneration, to grow into their
original, potential design?!
Paul, an
apostle of this Man, wrote of being “…in
pangs of birth until Christ be formed in you …” (Gal.4:19) He also spoke of “…Christ in me…” (Gal.2:20) and challenged believers, asking, “Do
you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?” (2Cor.13:5) In yet another place, he wrote of Christ
working within you and your working out your own faith – allowing the faith
within to expand and fill you out, molding you into His image.
(Phil.2)
The Babe,
Jesus the Christ, was formed within the womb of Mary. But, He must also be born into the heart of
each man, growing, maturing, shaping, molding until we grow up unto the full
image of Christ. This is the heart of
what we call Christmas.
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