The Birth of a Child

A week ago I had the gift of witnessing the birth of my newest niece. It was the first time that I've been a witness to a birth. It was an incredible experience.

The mother pacing the floors, knowing of the pain to come. Uncertain of what awaits in the next hours. But, she also knows of the joy that comes after the pain. She's willing to go through unbearable pain for the gift. The gift of new life. A child that she will hold. She will teach the baby how to eat, how to speak, how to crawl and walk. She will teach the child how to say please and thank you, how to take care of her dolls, and fix her hair, how to read and write.

And so she waits as the pains come more and more intense. And concentrates more and more on her body and the baby within.

Finally, the point comes when the pain is excruciating.

And then baby arrives. There is a moment of silence.

The mother exhales as baby's lungs take in her first breath.

Now there is joy! A cry from the baby, tears and smiles from the mother as she sees her child and the pain disappears. Joy radiates through the room. Exclamations of how adorable this child is. The possibility of what this new life has in store for us is overwhelming.

And as I reflect on it tonight, Christmas eve, again I'm overwhelmed by emotions.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating the birth of another child. A child whose arrival takes away the pain of the whole world. Before He was, we were hopeless and lost. Life was painful. But now that He has arrived there is joy. If you know Jesus you know that the pain of this life is replaced with His Joy and the possibility of new life.

Merry Christmas!