By Katy Mariotti

No Crying He Makes?

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“…but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:7-8 English Standard Version

Christmas Eve has always been a time that fills me with emotion, and having just had a baby, I expected to be extra emotional this year. I assumed I would not even be able to sing during “Silent Night,” with the candles glowing, especially when the instruments cut out and the whole congregation is singing together a cappella. But this year, that’s not what got me. It was “Away in a Manger.”

You see even though this is my third child, this is the youngest baby I’ve had at Christmas time, barely a month old. This whole season I’ve felt close to the thought of Jesus as a tiny baby. Hearing “the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head” immediately had me in tears as I looked at my own baby’s sweet head. But when I got to “the little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes,” I smiled a little. Really? Unless there are Bible verses to confirm it, I would guess that the baby Jesus DID cry. Crying is how babies communicate.

Which brings me to the other person who I’ve felt close to this season: Mary. Jesus may have been perfect, but Mary was human.  And as I’m remembering what life with a newborn is like, I wonder did Mary have trouble figuring out how to get Jesus to latch? Was Mary exhausted, up at night to make sure He was fed? Did she cry a lot with not only the exhaustion and the hormones racing through her, but with being far from home?

I hope that we can remember as we stumble through these long winter months of the year, in which not only do we face the everyday challenges, but ones that feel bigger than us: tragedy, illness, war, and more that we have a God who chose to send His Son to join us here in the imperfect world. Who cried for us. Who loved and still loves us. In Jesus’ own words:

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 ESV

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado