“Along the Way” by Kara Liggett and Lana Liggett

December 24

Luke 1:50 “His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear Him.”

Last February, our family celebrated my mom’s 80^th birthday.  It was a special day for all of us as friends and family gathered to give honor to her.  Mom has not had many birthday parties, if any, so my sisters and I wanted this one to be special for sure. 

Tomorrow we celebrate one of the most important birthdays of all.  Even though we may forget amidst the trappings and tiredness, it’s all about Him.  We spend so much time getting ready that we almost miss the party!

We make the birth of Christ a serene scene – little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.  Can you imagine, or even try to perceive what it was like when Jesus was born?  That night was the first night in the life of our Savior?  To first-time parents!  With no family nearby to calm their nerves! Just hope and a promise put in their hearts from God. 

When the time came for the baby to be born, Glory streamed down from Heaven gleaming bright and radiant amidst the muted and dingy setting of the rundown wooden stable in the pasture.  For first-time parents, I would think this might be a little over-the-top, not to mention embarrassing for a new mother looking less than her best.  But for our Christ child, nothing was off-limits in the majesty department. 

That first birthday party was quite different than we picture.  What if the stars opened up like a supernatural phenomenon and just enveloped everything in sight? What if that pasture filled up with the Spirit of God and all the brown and gray turned bright green and blue, bursting with the force of God’s power?  What if the biting cold air stopped blowing and in the dead of winter, a warm current blew. It might be something similar to what the shepherds experienced, stopping them from their duties (watching the sleepy animals, huddled to keep their bodies from the chilly air), “sorely afraid” and blinded by sudden light, surrounded with luminescence, warmth, and unbeknownst to them, the presence of the One who would bring them new life. 

We celebrate Christmas with much pomp and circumstance- celebratory carols, sumptuous food, and lights with brilliant LED capacity. Amidst our decorations, in the still, small, frostbitten air- there lies the Christ child, gleaming with Glory, the true reason for our favorite time of year.  Happy Birthday Jesus!