Dec
3
2014
The Hunger Cry
Posted in Christmas 2 Comments
I heard the cry across the aisles.
The hunger cry of a newborn.
The loud wail that lets a mother know this hunger cannot be abated.
I felt sorry for the mom when I saw her.
She was in the checkout line trying to get her items on the moving belt.
Her baby was in an infant seat, not to be consoled until he was fed.
There was nothing she could do.
Other people begin to turn around.
Some looked sympathetic, some looked annoyed.
There was nothing I could do to help the infant.
I thought of helping her unload her items.
I noticed she only had one more thing in her cart.
You could tell that she was anxious to leave the store and feed her baby.
The child needed his mom.
She wanted desperately to meet his need.
I looked at this tiny child.
Every motion of his little body screamed hunger.
His little face was red from crying; his little fists were clenched so tight.
The mother paid for her items and left the store quickly.
The baby was still crying as she went through the automatic doors.
The crying would stop when his need was met.
I looked around the store as I waited and saw all the Christmas decorations.
Sleighs and reindeer, ornaments and lights lined the shelves.
Wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, stocking stuffers, and candy canes were easily accessible.
But where was the Baby?
Where was the One that the day is all about?
Where was the real Christmas, not the commercialized version?
The crying baby brought all this to mind.
Mary was a teenager, betrothed to a kind man named Joseph.
Betrothal was not like our engagement.
Betrothal was binding, contractual, and could only be ended in divorce.
The angel, Gabriel, visited this little teenager.
Gabriel announced that Mary would have a son.
Gabriel even told Mary the child’s name: Jesus.
Imagine the thoughts running through Mary’s head.
She was young, unmarried, and troubled at the sight of the angel and the words he said.
Through all the confusing emotions, Mary trusted and obeyed.
Mary’s faith never wavered.
How will this be, since I am a virgin? (Luke 1:34)
An appropriate question under the circumstances.
Gabriel ever so gently explained how God would accomplish this miraculous event.
The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:35-37)
A miracle explained in words that a young girl could understand.
Mary had a heart that loved the Lord and a heart that was saturated with His Word.
Mary was able to respond in joy.
My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has been mindful of the humble state of His servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me – holy is His name. His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped His servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as He has to our fathers. (Luke 1:46-55)
This was Mary’s song.
The song her heart sang because of the joy and delight in her Lord.
Mary who was blessed because she was chosen to be the mother of God.
The mother of the One who made her.
The one who held the little hands of the One who is holding her.
The one who taught her child to speak His first word when all along He is the Word.
The one who fed the child who will one day feed her with His Body and Blood.
The one who wiped the tears of the One who will wipe away the tears of the world.
The one who bandaged the cuts of the One who will bear the scars of His great love.
The one who gave birth to the One who will be the reason for the New Birth.
The one who carries the One who will carry the lost sheep on His shoulders.
The one whose blood was on the ground after the birth of the One whose Blood will save.
I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said. (Luke 1:38)
The Lord’s servant whose great faith and willingness to obey brought forth a son.
A Baby who would save the people from their sins.
A mother just like any mother.
A mother who delivered a baby just like many mothers had done before her.
A birth that was the same yet so paradoxically different.
The Baby who cried to be fed.
The Baby who needed to have His diaper changed.
The Baby who would eventually learn to walk, and talk, and read.
The Baby whose Father is God.
The Baby who is ordinary yet divine.
The Baby who is like us in all things but sin.
We cannot for a moment forget the Baby’s human-ness.
We cannot for a moment forget the Baby’s divinity.
We cannot for a moment forget the Baby.
The crying baby brought all this to mind.
Do you remember the song “I Believe”? The song that talks about the things that remind us of why we believe? “Every time I hear a newborn baby cry…” is one of the reasons, and your story says this so eloquently— the baby reminds us of the Christ child.
Sue,
I do remember that song. Isn’t it wonderful how the littlest thing can remind us of HIM? How blessed we are.
Gina