Ordinary couple. Young people. Nearly married. Expectant parents. Gentle Mary. Pregnant virgin. Pregnant virgin!? Round stomach. Faithful heart. Concerned Joseph. Compassionate eyes. Confused smile.
Ordinary road. Long journey. Rough ride. Clip clop. Clip clop. Clip clop. Destination ahead. Good timing. Labor pains! Very soon!
Ordinary town. Bethlehem Ephrathah. Normal buildings. Normal people. Nothing special. Labor pains. Need room. Crowded inn. No vacancy. No luck. Try elsewhere.
Ordinary stable. Barnyard animals. Barnyard sounds. Barnyard smells. Rugged lodging. Labor pains! Hurting Mary. Worrying Joseph. Why here? Mary cries. Baby cries. A boy!
Ordinary child! Feeding trough. Improvised cradle. Wonderful Counselor!? Baby noises. Normal crying. No halo. Mighty God!? Looks normal. Acts normal. Feels normal. Everlasting Father!? Tiny hands. Tiny feet. Peace’s Prince!?
Ordinary pasture. Grassy field. Starry night. Many sheep. Ordinary shepherds. Working people. Not prestigious. Not famous. Not religious. Counting sheep. Counting sheep. Counting sheep… Sudden disturbance! Angel appears. Glory shining. Scared senseless. “Fear not!” (Scared anyway.) “Good news. Wonderful news! Savior born! Lord Christ. Swaddling clothes. Feeding trough.” Skies explode. Heavenly concert. “God’s glory! God’s peace!” Angels depart. Shepherds amazed. “Unto us!? Our Savior!? Let’s go!”
Ordinary stable. Holy place. Barnyard sounds. Christ crying!? Little baby. Swaddling clothes. Feeding trough. Straw throne. See him! Many shepherds. Many sheep. One Lamb. Joseph beams. Mary treasures. Mary ponders. Shepherds proclaim. Shepherds praise. Baby sleeps.
Ordinary child. Extraordinary child. God’s Son. Fully human. Fully divine. God comes! Why thus? Why there? Powerless baby. Omnipotent God. But how? Holy Lord. Human child. Infinite God. Finite baby. Infinite infant! Sounds impossible! Baby Messiah. Little Lord. Newborn King. Our Savior. Can’t be! Must be! God born. Be thankful. Be amazed. Adore Him! Adore Him! Adore Him!
Blake McKinney, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Lee’s Summit, Mo., originally wrote his reflection on his blog Intersections. It is used with permission.
