Great expectations

This a special time for our daughter and son-in-law. They are expecting their first child on 14^th January—only a couple of weeks away now. Of course they are very excited—and so are we! In preparation for this baby’s arrival, our daughter Tina has set up their nursery beautifully. But they have not had to buy a great deal themselves. You see, Tina is a beauty therapist and has been working at the same salon for over seven years now. She has many regular clients, several of whom come in each week for some treatment or other. And these clients are so delighted about her baby and so sad she is leaving that they have gone out of their way to give her the most beautiful and expensive baby gifts. Perhaps you can understand what sort of gifts I mean a little more if I mention that this salon is in a very well off area of Sydney’s North Shore. So now she has beautiful, little baby suits with French labels on them, made out of lovely, soft fabric and so well designed—not to mention fine quality cot sheets and blankets and cute baby toys. But beyond all that even, one client has passed onto her their ‘old’ nursery furniture—a large cot, a matching chest of drawers and a change table. This furniture hardly looks used and is again if the finest quality—we estimate it would cost well over a thousand dollars.

So much excitement. So much preparation. So much delight shown by clients, friends and family members alike in giving our Tina and Kofi these beautiful gifts. This baby will surely be much loved and also very well dressed and well provided for.

All of which has made me think at this special time of year. We have just celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Yes, his arrival had long been anticipated by the Jews as they waited for the coming of their Messiah. And Joseph and Mary must surely have been waiting in awe to see this baby entrusted to them, this one born of the Holy Spirit who was to be the Saviour of the world. But when he did arrive, there was no beautiful, white cot waiting for him or chest of drawers for all his clothes. Instead, this baby was born in a stable and put to bed in a feeding trough. Yes, wise men did come from a long way off to worship him and give him expensive gifts, but before he was too much older, he became a refugee, along with his parents, and had to flee to Egypt, since his life was under threat. I doubt Mary had time to gather many clothes together for this trip or the ability to carry things like change tables.

And later, after this baby had grown up, he found himself despised and rejected by the very people who had anticipated for so long the arrival of their Messiah. Just as there had been no physical room for the Christ child anywhere other than a stable at his birth, so people had no room in their hearts for Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Have you made room in your hearts this Christmas for Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High? Have I? Or has he again been pushed to the perimeter, perhaps almost cast aside in the midst of all the exciting presents and fine food?

I hope and pray he hasn’t. I hope he sees in my heart more joy at his coming even that the joy with which we will welcome our new grandchild so very soon.

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