A Baby...

"You will be with child and give birth to a son, 
and you are to give him the name Jesus."
Luke 1:31

I am a Grandma! I know, hard to believe, huh? But my son and his wife have just had their first child. A girl...little Allison Lucy. She is precious! And I do believe the most beautiful baby in the world!  I may be a bit prejudiced however.

Sharaya gave me a beautiful gift. She allowed me to be in the room as she gave birth. Having had five children myself, I am fully aware of what goes into giving birth. But, I have never witnessed it myself.

What an amazing accomplishment! 
The gift of life...the miracle of birth. 

Giving birth is no easy feat. It's a lot of work having a baby! Even with all of today's modern technology. Sharaya gave birth in a nice clean hospital. She had lots of medical professionals coming in and checking on her every few minutes. She had gizmos and gadgets recording her vitals and those of the baby. She had medication to help with the pain. She had her mother and myself to help her with expectations of labor, birth and delivery, and her husband by her side...wishing he had a Grilled Stuffed Burrito from Taco Bell. And a waiting room full of family ready to welcome in this new little life.

Perhaps it's the season, but it got me to thinking of another young girl and another little baby.

Mary didn't have the use of a nice clean hospital. She didn't have the assistance of medical professionals coming in every five minutes to check her vitals. She didn't have monitors hooked up to the baby to keep check on the heartbeat. She didn't have medication to help ease the pain. She didn't have her mother nearby to tell her what to expect or how to "breathe" through the pains.

Mary had a stable. A dirty, smelly barn full of animals. Mary only had her husband. And her husband wasn't the father of the baby. She didn't have family waiting, ready to shower love on this little one. Most of them had probably turned their back on her...not believing her story of who the Father was and how she came to be in this situation. Mary didn't have anyone to tell her what to expect. No one to tell her if what she was experiencing was normal, or if perhaps something was going wrong.

Mary was alone...
Frightened...
A young girl giving birth...
to the Son of God.

Mark Lowry wrote an incredible song called, Mary, Did You Know.  He raised some very interesting questions.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you holding is the Great I Am.

Sharaya gave us Allison Lucy Ehlert. And while she will forever change our lives, we have no way of knowing what God has in store for her little life. I don't know if she will be a prissy little girl or a tomboy. Will she like apples or oranges? Will she like to sing or want to play an instrument? Will she like chocolate or vanilla? Will she become a leader? Will she prefer to serve? Will she have a heart for missions? Will she rather to teach children? 

One thing I do know...God has a plan for her. He has purposed that she be born at this time, in this place, to these parents.  

Mary may or may not have known the answers to any of the questions Mark Lowry posed. The only things she knew were what the angel had told her. That He was the Son of God and was to be named Jesus. But  she rested on the same promise we do...God has a plan.

God planned that Jesus be born at that time, in that place, to those parents. To become flesh and dwell among us. To save a people from their sins.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
       and the government will be on his shoulders.
       And he will be called
       Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
       Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Isaiah 9:6

And He came to us as...

A Baby