Not a Silent Night....

This is a re-post from last year

As we so often forget, Christmas, the Real Christmas, didn't happen conveniently for anyone.  It wasn't convenient for Mary or Joseph.  It wasn't convenient for Herod.  It wasn't picturesque.   It was, however, God sending Love to us in a very relatable way - who as a mother has not put herself in Mary's place? 

Can you imagine being a teenage mother, traveling for days and finding yourself in labor?  There is nowhere for you to go.  You have only your young husband for comfort and support - and he's not even the father of your baby.  But, you have the promise of your Creator that in your womb rests the Hope of the World.

I think the song, "Silent Night" could not be more misleading.   Silent Night, Holy Night, All is Calm, All is Bright - if you read the same Bible that I do - you realize that God specializes in showing Himself in scary and otherwise unlikely situations.  That's why they're called miracles. 

You will also realize that the characters of the Bible were very real - in their failures and successes.  I personally find comfort in the fact that God makes a habit of choosing those with flaws to bring about His plans - in His time. 
 
This song was our special music this past Sunday in church.  I'm not "up to date" on my Christian songs, so maybe everyone has already heard this song.  As I listened to it for the first time, I found it very powerful.  A good friend remarked yesterday, "it's difficult to have a mother's heart in this world".

Here are the lyrics - click here to listen see the video - depicting scenes from the movie, "Nativity Scene".  Even if you think Christmas is only a sweet fairy-tale, you may find it very moving. I think it describes the birth of Jesus in a very real, very gritty, and not necessarily pretty way. 

Labor of Love - by Andrew Peterson

It was not a silent night
There was blood on the ground
You could hear a woman cry
In the alleyways that night
On the streets of David's town


And the stable was not clean
And the cobblestones were cold
And little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
Had no mother's hand to hold


It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love


Noble Joseph at her side
Callused hands and weary eyes
There were no midwives to be found
In the streets of David's town
In the middle of the night


So he held her and he prayed
Shafts of moonlight on his face
But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the Author of the faith
That could make the mountains move


It was a labor of pain
It was a cold sky above
But for the girl on the ground in the dark
With every beat of her beautiful heart
It was a labor of love
For little Mary full of grace
With the tears upon her face
It was a labor of love


Merry Christmas to one and all - may you experience the miracle of Christmas.