Christmas thoughts :)

Something that really hit me as I was reading through Luke 2 last night was thinking about what Mary must've felt when Jesus was born. As she realized that the place of her precious baby's birth was going to be a stable, among disgusting animals, she must've cried, thinking, "how can this be right?" Yet she knew it was right. God had promised that His Son would be born of a virgin in the city of David... and there she was, in Bethlehem-- yes, in a stable, but in a stable in Bethlehem-- a virgin, giving birth to a baby boy.
And as she wrapped her precious baby in the swaddling cloths and realized that he would have to sleep in a manger that the animals eat out of... she must've sobbed, and thought, "how can this possibly be what God wants for His Son?" Because nowadays, we think of the stable scene as all perfect and wonderful... little Baby Jesus wrapped in some comfy-cozy white blankets, sleeping peacefully in a quaint little manger filled with straw. But those swaddling cloths were probably not too cozy. That manger bed was probably not all that comfy. Who wants that for their baby? Let alone, for God's son?
All the same, as the shepherds arrived and spoke of how an angel had told them that they would find the Son of God lying in a manger, Mary knew that this was God's will. Her mind had doubtless been thinking about how crazy, insane, & terribly ironic this all was... but what comfort and peace she must've felt when God assured her that this was His perfect plan, and this was where she was called to be. I love what Luke 2:19 says about Mary's response to the shepherd's visit... it says that she "treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart."

I'm so grateful that God used Mary, a teenage girl, in such a huge way in His master story/plan. I'm so grateful that I can relate to Mary. Because lately I've experienced crazy questions about my circumstances flooding my mind... but I've also experienced a peace that surpasses all understanding. And as I said in my last post, that peace from God overwhelms everything else. I've never felt more peaceful and contented in my whole life.

Jesus gave us this peace. When he was born, the angels announced, "On earth, peace among those with whom He is pleased." As I read that last night, I thought, "how could God be pleased with me??" and my mind was filled with all of my short-comings and sins that I've struggled recently. But then I remembered that I'm covered by the righteousness of Christ. Yessssssss. <3

Merry Christmas, everyone! or, as certain friends of mine like to say... merry Christmice ;)