Advent 2: Baby

Scripture:

"The Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will be pregnant." (Isaiah 7:14)

Song: Mary, Did You Know?

This is perhaps the most insane and offensive part of the Christmas message: all of history was waiting for the arrival of a tiny, fragile, helpless baby. A child who, like any other child, would be absolutely dependant on his mum, who would wake up screaming and crying in the middle of the night, who would need his nappies changed, who would need feeding and bathing and loving. In the midst of our tinselly nativities it is easy to forget that Jesus was like any other new-born: red-faced, wrinkly and crying out for love.

Our God is a strange God. The birth of a baby seems like the most ridiculous way to start a plan to save the world, but it is the birth of this baby that we are about the celebrate. It is the birth of this baby that all of history hinges upon. God's Son was born in an obscure, forgotten part of the world to a teenage Mum. He was born into poverty and scandal. 

Let us not gloss over the mess of that first Christmas this Advent: Our God is a God who embraces mess - his plan to save humans started by becoming one.

Reflection:

Think about the smallest baby you've ever held. Think about how totally vulnerable and helpless he or she was.

Ask God why he chose to become a tiny baby: What did he want to show us by choosing to come into the world not as some great hero or warrior but as a child?

Thank God that he doesn't do things in the way we expect.