Christmas in Psalm 131
My heart is not proud, O God, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. vs 1
Last night, I was telling Jubilee the Christmas story. She was looking at me intently, listening intently. Jubilee's been asking, "why?" and "what's this?" a thousand times a day for the last three or four months. She asks to the point of ridiculousness, and the answers become "because that's the way God made it" or "because I said so" but in-between the first "why" and the "because that's what God did" she gets a lot of really good information.
And, that's the way she was listening to the Christmas story. Asking "why?" and really listening.
I realized that it's probably the first time she's really heard the Christmas story. As I told her about Mary being pregnant, the angel telling Joseph to name the baby Jesus, and the 'president' or 'king' named Caesar making everyone travel to their hometown with Mary so pregnant, in labor -- "breathing 'hee-hee-ho' Momma?" -- needing somewhere, anywhere to go ... I saw the Christmas story more real than I've ever seen it.
God, not considering equality with himself something we humans can grasp humbled himself, making himself nothing. (Philippians 2:6-7). A baby. Born to a poor girl who didn't even get to Bethlehem early enough to stay in hotel. Even a Super 8 quality hotel.
Last night, as I told Jubilee about the months and day of Jesus' birth, I thought about our wild ride to the hospital with Noah - how would I have felt if I was riding a donkey in a town I'd never visited before, and couldn't even find a clean place to deliver him? He that I was told would be The Savior of the world?
There with the cows and donkeys and lambs?
And then, as a mother, having my first visitors be smelly shepherds. Men and boys who saw and heard angels sing of His birth. Seeing them kneel down to worship the little life that had just been born?
And rich, worldly, 'wise' men, with expensive gifts from far-off lands. Worshiping in a stable? Worshiping a baby, who could only cry when he was hungry?
Me, a mom? Not even really knowing how to take care of a new baby: feeding him, diapering him ... helping him sleep.
Oh Lord.
This is humility.
The devotional that I've been reading this year says about this verse in Psalms: "The way to get to know our God is not through intellectual inquiry or self-righteous behavior, but through humility and a still, quiet soul. That has always been the case. The gentle God of grace asks us to acknowledge reality--the true condition of our diseased heart--so He can act in a way that we will recognize. Mercy travels incognito in the presence of pride, which thinks grace is well deserved; but when humility sees the benevolence of God, it sees clearly."
How often do I have haughty eyes-judging others, thinking I know better, or that something is beneath me? How often do I concern myself with something too great for me?
When the very Creator of the universe humbled himself to be born to Mary and Joseph in a stable.
I can only pray that the Lord will continue to reveal Himself to me, forgiving me for my arrogance. That I wouldn't be so arrogant to have to be brought low -- but also, that, if I am, the Lord would humble me so that I can clearly see His grace.
The grace of one who was born where animals lived, was hated by men and crucified - but will be worshiped by all some day.
May my Christmas - and yours - be centered on these things.
Last night, I was telling Jubilee the Christmas story. She was looking at me intently, listening intently. Jubilee's been asking, "why?" and "what's this?" a thousand times a day for the last three or four months. She asks to the point of ridiculousness, and the answers become "because that's the way God made it" or "because I said so" but in-between the first "why" and the "because that's what God did" she gets a lot of really good information.
And, that's the way she was listening to the Christmas story. Asking "why?" and really listening.
I realized that it's probably the first time she's really heard the Christmas story. As I told her about Mary being pregnant, the angel telling Joseph to name the baby Jesus, and the 'president' or 'king' named Caesar making everyone travel to their hometown with Mary so pregnant, in labor -- "breathing 'hee-hee-ho' Momma?" -- needing somewhere, anywhere to go ... I saw the Christmas story more real than I've ever seen it.
God, not considering equality with himself something we humans can grasp humbled himself, making himself nothing. (Philippians 2:6-7). A baby. Born to a poor girl who didn't even get to Bethlehem early enough to stay in hotel. Even a Super 8 quality hotel.
Last night, as I told Jubilee about the months and day of Jesus' birth, I thought about our wild ride to the hospital with Noah - how would I have felt if I was riding a donkey in a town I'd never visited before, and couldn't even find a clean place to deliver him? He that I was told would be The Savior of the world?
There with the cows and donkeys and lambs?
And then, as a mother, having my first visitors be smelly shepherds. Men and boys who saw and heard angels sing of His birth. Seeing them kneel down to worship the little life that had just been born?
And rich, worldly, 'wise' men, with expensive gifts from far-off lands. Worshiping in a stable? Worshiping a baby, who could only cry when he was hungry?
Me, a mom? Not even really knowing how to take care of a new baby: feeding him, diapering him ... helping him sleep.
Oh Lord.
This is humility.
The devotional that I've been reading this year says about this verse in Psalms: "The way to get to know our God is not through intellectual inquiry or self-righteous behavior, but through humility and a still, quiet soul. That has always been the case. The gentle God of grace asks us to acknowledge reality--the true condition of our diseased heart--so He can act in a way that we will recognize. Mercy travels incognito in the presence of pride, which thinks grace is well deserved; but when humility sees the benevolence of God, it sees clearly."
How often do I have haughty eyes-judging others, thinking I know better, or that something is beneath me? How often do I concern myself with something too great for me?
When the very Creator of the universe humbled himself to be born to Mary and Joseph in a stable.
I can only pray that the Lord will continue to reveal Himself to me, forgiving me for my arrogance. That I wouldn't be so arrogant to have to be brought low -- but also, that, if I am, the Lord would humble me so that I can clearly see His grace.
The grace of one who was born where animals lived, was hated by men and crucified - but will be worshiped by all some day.
May my Christmas - and yours - be centered on these things.
Beautifully written and a great reminder to us all.
ReplyDeleteThis is a humbling and profound statement,
ReplyDelete"The way to get to know our God is not through intellectual inquiry or self-righteous behavior, but through humility and a still, quiet soul".
Thank you Becky for sharing. Enjoyed today's post. Truth is Truth and always will be.
Karen