She sighed as she leaned back against the piles of hay, a new-born cry coming from the bundle of torn cloths in her arms. She was a beautiful mess of reality and wonderment, unaware that the world would one day know her name. For right now, she was just a brand new mother, teary-eyed and relieved that this little baby came safely and soundly to rest in her arms. Carefully, she laid him in her make-shift cradle and gazed at every tiny feature of his little face. All of glory was tucked perfectly inside of this sweet little one. She wondered if one day he would have her eyes, if his nose would be just like hers, or if he would look different altogether. She took his hand in hers and caressed his little fingers. The hand of God was smaller than she had ever imagined, but more evident than ever.

     She felt Joseph’s hand gently on her back and looked up into his teary eyes. He had just witnessed the greatest miracle of all time. For years, the world was void of the opportunity to see the face of God, to be in the same room with Him. Now here He was, smaller than ever before, but taking up all of the room in their hearts and filling the stable with His breath-taking presence.

     Just then, they heard voices shouting in the distance, coming from outside of the barn. The voices of men grew closer to the stable, shouting “This way!!” Joseph arose from his place next to his wife and new child, and hurried outside the stable door to stand guard and see what was happening. Suddenly, the flames of torches were visible over the hill as shepherds were running toward them with all of the sheep herded along. Out of breath and in amazement, the shepherds stopped in their tracks, as they saw a tattered and bewildered Joseph staring back at them. The cry of a little savior broke through the cracked stable door behind Joseph and upon hearing it, the shepherds erupted into joy and hurried toward him. “Is that him!? Is that our savior!?” They cheered as they pushed passed Joseph and through the door. “We were in the fields and heard the singing and the angels told us to come at once!” Joseph, having seen so many miracles tonight, continued to stare in amazement as the over-joyed shepherds crowded in to see.

     Mary, full of a new kind of peace, sat quietly on the stable floor as the shepherds retold their story about the field of angels. She watched as Joseph stood close by, proudly and joyfully sharing his own angel encounter from months prior. She smiled as they excitedly exchanged descriptions of the angels, and then she turned her affection on her incredible gift sleeping peacefully in the manger, “treasuring up all these things and pondering them in her heart.”

     I can only imagine what each person felt that night- tired, but full of inexplicable joy and surprised by the size of their Savior. That is often how I feel now. Jesus was the most anticipated and the most unexpected gift anyone had ever been given and He will come back to us again- while long-awaited, it will be sudden, “like a thief in the night.” He is sweet and fierce, kind and just, convicting and full of peace. He is everything we expected and nothing like we thought. He is beautiful and terrifying. But most of all- He is a good Father, full of a love so strong that He did the unthinkable. He sent His little boy as an unwelcome King to present Himself as the gift we never deserved. What a treasure it is to know Him and be known by Him. Be blessed not only during this season, but for an eternity, because that is the gift we have been given: Jesus, in all His glory, forever.