First Christmas

Trevor Peterson December 25, 1996

There were no blinking lights, no presents under a tree. Perhaps there was a candle or two burning, but it was for light, not mood. Miles from family and friends, without money or a decent place to stayyou would have thought someone would have sympathy on these two travelers. After all, she was nine months pregnanthow many others really needed a room so badly? Oh, there were better nancial moves to be made. Scarcity and high demand will drive people to pay any pricethat is, if they have any money to give. Was it greed then, or simply disinterest, that left them out in the cold, to give birth to their rst child in a barn? The questions must have racedwhy did she have to be pregnant now? Why should we have to travel, just to pay a tax? Why doesnt anyone care what happens to us? Why? And for an answer, only the whistle of a draft and the shue of some lonely cow, dgeting within her stall. But in the silent dearth of answers, in the dark stumbling of confusion, sometimes we encounter the truth like a brick wall. In the rst cry of that holy Child, something must have happened. Somehow, God had His purpose. His timing was perfect. Perfect?! This was the worst of all possible times! Butcould God make a mistake? Was anything that had happened within their control? Was any of it beyond His? For now, the answers could wait. The family and friends and the warmth of home faded like a dream, for here was the eye of Gods will. Though all else seemed chaotic around them, the peace of this one thing was enough to hold them tightly. All history would turn on this moment, but for them time stood still. And once again God drew near to man. Voices. Footsteps. And ever so quietly, the door opened to reveal shepherds, gazing in awe. They did not need to explainwhat words could have said what they were thinking at that moment? The child was there before 1

them, and they worshipped. This was meaning. This was peace. There was no fanfare, no street crier, no parade of dignitaries, but God, in His own divine sense of humor, had sent shepherds. What more tting audience for the arrival of the Good Shepherd into the world? That rst Christmas was a far cry from what we know today. For the world, it was an unnoticed yet critical moment; for these two young parents, it was learning to trust God. What lay ahead? Unknown. What lay behind? Irrelevant. Only this counted: God had called them to a taskto bear a burden of responsibility which was impossible. But in that impossible situation, they could see that the reason this Child had come into the world was not so very dierent. We are all incapable of bearing the burden of our own salvation, but we trust that Child, Who took our burden upon His own shoulders. Mary and Joseph were likewise incapable of the task ahead, but the God Who came to be man that Bethlehem night would carry their burden as well. In sorrow He brought them joy; in turmoil He brought peace; and the Child born to rule the world was nevertheless their childand for now, it was enough.