Normally what happens when "I was just thinking" is that I'm in the shower (only place I really relax) and I get something in my head and I can't wait to get out here to the computer and type. It's been a while since I felt like that...
I feel like that right now!
But, I can't take credit for this thought at all! I was listening to a podcast from a church I listen to a lot...and it was a sermon I didn't even think I'd wanna bother with 'cause it was a "Christmas Sermon". So last year, right? WELL...I am SO GLAD I listened to it!
Pastor is Shane Hipps. And, he talked about the gift of the Christ child.
He brought a lady up onto stage with an infant and asked her questions about her relationship with that infant. He asked her how she feels when the baby cries and how she feels when the baby laughs. He asked her how she responds when the baby cries...if she waits an hour? And, she said, "No. I go right away." He asked, "Why?" and she replied, "Because I love her."
He then pointed out that Jesus...came to earth as a baby. God...came to earth as a baby...who spent His time as an infant...crying out...to His mommy...at all times of the day and night no matter what Mary was doing or what plans she had or how she felt...He cried out to her...for her love and attention...
Mary...is our 1st example how to respond to Jesus.
Think about how Mary responded to Him from the very moment she even heard He was coming? Self-sacrifice…Mary didn't say to the angel, "Yeah, but, I have plans! Can't God send the Savior after I'm married and have a few years to get settled?" She didn't say, "Well, you know this could get me killed?" She didn't say anything about herSELF…she just said…yes.
Can you imagine Mary with an, "Infant Management Program" in place when Jesus was born?
Can you imagine Mary teaching baby Jesus to, "Cry-it-out" and to "self-soothe"?
Can you imagine Mary leaving baby Jesus to cry so that He wouldn't grow up to be too clingy to her?
Can you imagine Mary sitting there with her friends chatting over coffee while baby Jesus cries in the playpen and Mary scoffing, "Oh, He just wants me to hold Him all the time! He has to learn that He's not the center of the universe!"
Can you imagine Mary hitting baby Jesus to teach Him not to touch things on her coffee table?
Can you imagine Mary making sure baby Jesus knows "who's boss"?
Can you imagine Mary making all of her plans about and for herself and just dragging Jesus around with her as an accessory?
Can you imagine Mary treating baby Jesus in any of the ways most people treat their children?
Can you imagine that being God's way of growing Jesus?
Jesus didn't come to earth as a full-grown man…in charge…a King. He came as a baby and began His relationship to mankind with that lesson.
Romans 1 tells us that God does everything with a purpose. Everything He's created shows us something about Him...about the truth. His coming to earth as a baby…was not without purpose. We are supposed to get something from that. And, not getting something from that…makes God mad because He made the lessons there obvious.
For we women...when we have a baby...that baby is a lesson from God as to how to respond to Him. And, He said, "as you've done it unto the least of these...you've done it unto me..." didn't He? That's huge!
Imagine...God calling out to you at 3am...and you're just too tired to "deal with Him." He needs to learn to cry out to you at times when you're not tired.
Imagine...God calling out to you on Saturday...but you have Him scheduled for attention on Sundays only? God needs to be regulated on a schedule for His own good so He'll…not disturb you when you're sleeping.
Imagine...God calling out for you and you just...turn that baby monitor off and let Him cry…He needs to be able to…go to sleep on His own…so that you can sleep.
Imagine...God calling out to you and you deciding that He needs to just learn that He is not the center of the universe…that you and your husband are the center of the family and God needs to remember that you…are…not…His…buddy (friend)…
The truth about all the old wives' tales about "holding your baby too much" and "picking the baby up when they cry"...and the truth about parenting programs like, "Preparation for Parenting"…the truth about books like, "On Becoming Babywise"…the truth about how to truly "Grow kids God's Way"...was shown to us on Christmas morning…and Romans 1 says that...we have no excuse...
