If you’ve ever given birth, or have been around a pregnant woman during the time she gave birth, you know that having a child is not easy. There is the physical discomfort, the tiredness, the pain, the lack of sleep… and all that comes with it up to and during the birth.
I can only imagine little Mary, pregnant to her eyeballs, riding with Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It wasn’t a comfortable journey back then to the town of their ancestors, especially for a very pregnant woman. It would have taken several long, hard days.
Moreover, her baby was not born in a normal place. Luke 2:7 tells us, “She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
In spite of it all, Mary treasured the moment. She made a conscious decision to look at the fact that she had just given birth to her precious firstborn son, the Son of the living God. Her heart chose to look at “whatever is true, […] if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things” (Philippians 4:8).
Today is Christmas Eve. I don’t know what you are going through, or what kind of pain and discomfort you are enduring. It’s okay to not be okay. But I would like to encourage you to, like Mary, treasure up the fact that Jesus was born to set you free and carry you through this tough time.
Rejoice! The Savior is born!
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your precious Son. No matter what I go through, you are my hope and my refuge. In spite of the darkness, I will choose light. I choose love, and I choose you. By faith, give me strength. Be my Rock. Amen.
Go Deeper — Whatever you are suffering, whether a loss of a loved one, a job loss, poor health or a heartache, remember that you have Savior who came to earth and suffered so you don't have to go through it alone. Hold on to that. Merry Christmas!
Editor’s Note: This is Caroline’s last devotional. She is concentrating on being a fulltime mom. Caroline, thank you for writing for The Life. May God continue to bless you.
Photo Credit: Ben White