A Christmas cry

My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.  (verses 46-48)

Read Luke 1:46b-55

Every day the sound of a crying baby is heard all over the world, as 350,000 new babies are born. Each one of them is unique, and hopefully they will all be welcomed and loved. On Christmas Day the world celebrates the birth of a child. Christmas is not just for children, it is about one child who was born as a gift for all of us.

When we look at the face of a baby, who do we see? Maybe mum, dad or a grandparent?

When we think about the baby born to us at Christmas we are meant to see ourselves – he is just like us – human, frail and vulnerable. But we are also meant to see the face of God, because Jesus who was born at Christmas, is also God himself, God coming to live with us, as one of us.

We all have hopes for our children, just as our parents had hopes about us when we were born. God invites us to pin our hopes and fears, our sins and tears, and our faith on this child. He wants the joy of Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and the angels to be ours today. He wants us to put our past, our present and our future, our life and our death in the hands of this Christmas child, and God promises that he won’t let us down.

Thankyou Jesus for coming into the world as one of us and for us. Take everything I am into your hands and love me, I pray. Amen

adapted by Pastor Richard Fox, Director of Lutheran Media, from a Face to Face message by Bishop David Altus.