Sweet Sunday

We went to see a Christmas musical/play at my parents' church today. My mom was singing in the choir, and we love supporting her talents!

It's funny how you can hear the Christmas story over and over again without much feeling. I don't mean to say that it isn't special -- because it is -- but sometimes you can get too close to something and you forget the power it actually has.

The play revolved around a shepherd family who were awaiting the coming Messiah. Like all Jewish families before them, they didn't know when or where He'd arrive...but they waited in hope, remembering God's promise and the prophecies of long ago.

The woman who wrote the play (who coincidentally attends that church) did an excellent job of setting up the historical background for the story. I hadn't really considered that Israel was under the rule of Rome at the time -- that they were basically slaves and hoped the coming Messiah would save them from the bondage of this "silent night" -- the metaphor being that without our Messiah we live in the bondage of sin in a silent night, too.

When the shepherd family found out that the Messiah had arrived in a stable, they immediately went and worshipped him. The scene was fantastic. Not majestic or glitzy or loud. Just quiet and peaceful and loving. Like people meeting someone's newborn baby for the first time, they admired and cooed and beamed...only this baby was so much more special...God's promise fulfilled.

It was hard for me not to be moved by this scene as I sat there rocking our little guy in my arms. I kept looking at him and imagining all that Mary and Joseph must have felt. Joseph would have felt the burden of responsibility when he couldn't find a more "fitting" place for Mary's baby -- God's Son -- to be born, in a town where he didn't know anyone. He was protective of her, wishing away her pain. Mary may have felt great fear at first -- at the idea of having a baby. But she was faithful and trusting and knew that God had chosen her...out of all the girls in Israel, she was chosen to bear His Son. Awesome, huh?

The tears flowed freely -- it hasn't been so long since we welcomed our little boy bundle of joy -- and I enjoyed anew the power of the Christmas story. The silence of the "night" was broken with angelic choirs praising God and His Son. Joy to the world, the Savior reigns! The Messiah has come to the world which had waited so long; the very Messiah who came to save you and me from our sins.

Are you still living in a "silent night?" I know I'm not. And I'm so thankful for that Holy Christmas night of long ago...and the reminder in that Christmas play today. Enjoy a very sweet Sunday!

* * *

And, ironically, Ethan had on a shirt that said: "Silent Night -- I don't think so." It has a completely new meaning to me.