Tuesday, December 26

The Little Ones

Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.

As with any birth, the news of the baby, Jesus, was exciting and terrifying. Even just finding out about the birth was for Mary, and is for us today, a life-changing event. I honestly think the reason God gave people 9 months to prepare is because it takes the better part of a year to wrap your brain around the reality that your life will never be the same again.

Becoming a parent is the ultimate adulting. And yes, adulting is hard. Having a kid is one of the first times you realize that the responsible person in the household is gonna hafta be you. It's up to you now, to make sure there's food on the table (and on the floor and in the dog's mouth). You have to provide a roof over your heads (the one that costs $10,000 to replace when it leaks, unless you have a freak hailstorm and can have it replaced with insurance money -- thank you, weather gods!). And you have to have answers to stuff you never thought you'd need to know. Like, "Can God kill ghosts?" Or do things you never thought you'd ever have to learn how to do. Like pick lice out of long hair. Or clean a restaurant table with napkins after your kid pukes on it. Yes, adulting is hard. And parenting is the hardest.

But it's also the most miraculous and magical. It's among the first times you realize that it's possible to love so much it hurts. And you get to see things you never saw before, like rainbows in the oil puddles in the parking lot. And you get to play again. And see Disney movies you were too embarrassed to see by yourself but wanted to. And believe in magic. And realize the dirty dishes can wait. And watch music, art, math, science, languages all blossom in a little person who knew none of it before. And see your nose, eyes, and jawline in a tiny person. And have hopes and dreams that will never come true because their reality ends up being so much more than you could have imagined.

So today, we are celebrating the little people who make the world magical. Welcome to the world, little elves!

Narrative Lectionary Text: Luke 1:26-38

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.