Luke 2:19
How weary Mary must have been that night in Bethlehem when the labor pains began. I often think about the support and bravery of Joseph as he stood by his wife; he was likely both anxious and excited of Jesus’ impending birth. I well remember John by my own side during the births of our children, the reassuring look on his face, and the warmth of his hand holding mine as he encouraged me through their deliveries.
As a mother, I wonder what Mary was thinking on the night of Jesus’s birth. Did she worry about the future, or simply immerse herself in the promise and miracle of Jesus’ birth? Just as that first Christmas was full of
emotion and hope and wonder, so is nearly every mother filled when she holds her newborn child for the first time. There is a sense of pride – with a bit of anxiety – and for Christian mothers, a hope that this child will shine their own tiny light of Jesus in the world.
Praise God for the amazing gift of Jesus, and for the amazing gift of life itself!