Expecting

Ten years ago, I celebrated Christmas six months pregnant with DeLaynie, our first born. The experience changed how I think about Christmas.

There's something truly bizarre about pregnancy. Inside of your body, there is a person growing. This person is intimately connected to you, yet you know very little about them. You know that the child will be a mixture of his or her parents, but that's all the information that you have.

Now add in the fact that Mary has been told that her son would be the Son of God. Would God use her DNA like He used the dust to form Adam, or would He make Jesus from scratch? What would the Son of God look like, feel like? What would His cry sound like? How could she be so incredibly close to Him and yet know so little about Him? How could the Son of God need her, a young girl who had so little life experience and wisdom to offer?

Yet He would. The Son of God would need Mary to feed Him, carry Him, change His diaper. The Son of God would wear a diaper! The Son of God would live in all of the weakness and neediness of a baby.

Honestly, it's too much to even think about! How could God allow His glorious Son to experience such humility, such humiliation? I know why, but the how befuddles me.

We're still expecting Jesus, and we still have questions. We don't know the exact order of things. We don't know who will be on earth when He comes. We're intimately near to Him, yet the information we have is limited. Just like a pregnant woman scouring through books for new moms, we try to put the information together, but it's abstract, hazy at best. We see most of the pieces, but we can't quite fit them into a coherent picture of what it will be like.

But we know one thing. When Jesus comes back, it will not be like the first time He came.

He will come in glory and power, not humility and weakness. (Revelation 19:11-16)
His coming will be noticed by all, not just a few shepherds. (Revelation 1:7)
He will not need anyone to care for His needs, but those who belong to Him will be cared for... forever! (Revelation 21:1-8)

As I think about baby Jesus this Christmas, I can't help but contemplate King Jesus as well. It isn't as sweet and comfortable as the meek little Jesus in the manger. King Jesus isn't nearly as safe and easy to handle. But He is good, so very good!

We're looking for Your return, Lord, and we can't wait to see how it all fits together!