HAPPY NEW YEAR! Christmas day has now past with a new year of new beginnings ahead. The message of Christmas and the promise of hope for all our tomorrows doesn’t disappear just because the Christmas holiday is now in the past. The baby born in a manger was only the beginning of “strength for today and new hope for tomorrow”. And the Christmas message continues throughout this new year and all our “new years” ahead.
In every Christmas season I hear a message for the year ahead. This Christmas I found myself thinking about the amazing power-packed potential invested in a little boy, born in a meager manger to two ordinary people in this ordinary world we live in. That child was unique, yet He looked like any other child. And in fact, he was like any other child born into this world in that he had a destiny to fulfill and had been given the tools necessary to fulfill that destiny. He would learn through His 33 years of life how to use those tools and make the right choices so that He could achieve God’s purpose for HIs life. Each one of us is unique and have been born into this world by God’s design and given the opportunities to make the choices that would both reveal and accomplish God’s plan for our being here. But can you imagine the responsibility weighing on those ordinary parents of a son who is, in fact, the Son of God?!! Did they wonder if the choices they were making for their son were the “right” choices God wanted them to make? Did they wrestle (as most parents do) with what was “the right thing to do” at every decision they were making for their son?!! And how do you know if every decision you make as a parent is the right decision? I think Mary and Joseph were thinking some of these things when faced with the arrival of their newborn who was not just their son, but most importantly, God’s Son!
I wrote a poem thinking of the challenges that were awaiting them, like every parent in raising a child-this gift from God entrusted to us for a limited time. This Precious Gift was born out of those thoughts.
“A baby boy God gave to us
To raise and love, He did entrust
A life to shape, to teach, to mold
To nurture with care until he is old
You see, a parent’s job is never done
And though years pass, he will always be their son
When challenges come, as surely they will
As parents you’ll always be there still
To guide, to share, to counsel too
To cover with love – that’s what you must do
To lead by example, to show how to love
To forgive and forget, and show how to move on
And To show by example that God is the One
This is the responsibility of parents to a son
Who answers prayer, forgives and transforms
Who will never forsake us or leave us alone
So dad and mom, raise him with care
He is only lent to you for a time so don’t despair
You won’t have all the answers
But there is One who does
So lean on Him wholly
And you’ll raise a good son.”
How were Mary and Joseph to raise their son? There is only one way – to let God who alone is the Author and Finisher, lead, guide and direct them step by step. So let us as we proceed into the days ahead, follow their example as we invite God anew and afresh to lead us every step of the way.
Heartgate International Ministries 