July 23, 2013

Isaiah 9:6 — For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: And the government shall be upon his shoulder: 

If you are surprised by the inspiration of today’s devotion, go to the bottom of the class! Yesterday many of us were delighted by the announcement of the baby Prince of Cambridge (anyone who thinks they know me and is surprised at my delight really doesn’t know me!)

Babies … I share the view expressed a while back by my Pastor that babies are a sign of God’s opinion that the world should continue a little while longer. Sadly, of course, not everyone looks at every baby the same way — but I don’t want to get into that contentious subject today. It  was another thought that came into my mind.

You look at a baby. You hold a baby. What do you feel? What do you see? When I hold a baby I feel protective — and clumsy. I feel large and soft! In every baby I see possibilities. What do you suppose this royal baby will be? In the fullness of time, of course, he will be King of England — ” by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of His other Realms and Territories King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith”. He will be head of the Church of England. But what sort of man will he be?

When Joseph held his son in his arms, what do you suppose he saw? He knew what the angel had promised Mary, of course, and what he had been told himself — “He shall save His people from their sins” — but what did he really see? Did he really know what sort of man his Son would be? It’s unlikely, I think, that he really “saw” the Son of God.

Don’t blame Joseph if he didn’t really see what Jesus would be — unless you have held a child in your arms and seen the man or woman to come. But of course, there is One who knows.

• Job 10: 11 — Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh, And hast fenced me with bones and sinews.
• Psalm 119:73 — Thy hands have made me and fashioned me
• Psalm 139:13-14 —  For thou hast possessed my reins:
•   Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made
• Isaiah 44:2 — Thus saith the Lord that made thee,
•   And formed thee from the womb, which will help thee

There is a mystery that I don’t really understand. For God knows what will become of every one of those little babies that we hold in our arms. And yet each of us has free will. We make choices — but He knows what we will choose! I don’t really understand it — I just know it is so, and choose to accept it. There is a time to take the mysteries, like the mysteries of those babies, and just accept the wonder if it all!