Join with All Nature: The Birth of a Child
This advent season, Karis has been encouraged to Join With All Nature in its yearning for Christ and its worship of Christ.
“Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love”
Thomas Chisholm, Great is Thy Faithfulness
This song was on my heart this week. And, as I was reading the following with my children, I felt invited to stop and listen.
“Mountains would have bowed down. Seas would have roared. Trees would have clapped their hands. But the earth held its breath. As silent as snow falling, he came in. And when no one was looking, in the darkness, he came.” Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible
Before fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains could repeat the sounding joy or heaven and nature sang…
Before angelic hosts proclaimed and before the shepherd’s jubilee…
Before the kings traversed afar and before anyone went and told it on the mountain…
Something very natural, common, and marvelously ordinary took place in the most unassuming setting. In the quiet darkness, amongst the animals, a mother labored, and a baby was born.
Not many details are shared in scripture about the progression from when Mary and Joseph found shelter in the stable up until Mary wrapped our newborn Savior in strips of fabric. I’ve pondered A LOT about Mary and Joseph that night. Was she already in labor when the innkeeper had pity on them? Did Mary whisper instructions to Joseph so he could help? When they accepted that this birth was happening right there and then, did it confuse them or did it illuminate their understanding of God’s Promise? Was Mary surprised by the strength and intuition she found when she asked God to attend her side? I wonder how her birthing time unfolded, how she managed, and the thoughts and uncertainties Mary and Joseph navigated together.
One thing is for certain about that night, though. Mary tasted the complexities of her human nature to a depth she had never experienced before. It’s a normal and natural stage in human labor when the frontal cortex of the brain is quieted by an orchestra of hormones, allowing a less-inhibited submission to the process that is birth. In this state the woman is as close to other mammals as she may ever be…joining with nature.
For a few moments, ponder Mary’s humanity, as a chosen creature, crying out to her Father. Imagine those powerful utterances dripping with healthy fear and faith-filled courage. The highly favored one whom God was with (Luke 1:28), submitting to this scandalously (Matthew 1:19) impossible plan (Luke 1:34), crying out in praise of God who considered her (Luke 1:48-55), remembered His faithfulness (Luke 1:54-55). The thought is just too beautiful to me. It closes my throat and my eyes well up when thinking about the poignant parallels and connections we can meditate on.
“No one understood it completely at the time, but when Mary pushed out that baby, God pushed into the world the long-expected Prophet, Priest, and King. God gave his people a new law, a new temple, and a new sacrifice. Best of all, he gave his people a new beginning. Just as he promised.” Kevin DeYoung, The Biggest Story
Birth, and all that surrounds the marvel of birth, is a reminder to us that we are created. We are part of Creation. We are subject to the functional design, and the fallenness, of our bodily nature.
“Mild He lays His Glory by,
Born that man no more may die;Born to raise the sons of earth;
Born to give them second birth.”
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, Charles Wesley
In the picture of birth we are reminded of some of the dualities that make up our lives as followers of Christ.
The Curse and the Blessing. (Genesis 3:16, Luke 1:48)
Pain and ecstasy. (Psalm 38, Song of Solomon 4:16-5:1)
Sorrow and joy. (John 16:22, 2 Corinthians 6:10)
Mourning and celebration. (James 4:8-9, Luke 15:23-24)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hopethat the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 8:18-21
During her birthing time, a woman trusts that the current discomforts and involuntary changes will all be worth it. She can trust that these patterns of waves that are building and crashing cannot last forever. One way or another, the babe will come. She will hear the baby’s cry and meet them face to face.
When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. John 16:21-22
When Jesus was telling His disciples about how He would be leaving them, He chose to use this beautiful, figurative language. Birthing mirrors our life as believers in the Advent season, too.
Paul drew on these parallels and connections also.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Romans 8:22-24a
Brothers and Sisters, those of you who are longing, yearning, and preparing room. Those of you who are laboring, changing, crying out. Hear this:
That Babe, that Glorious Babe, WILL come. And He will change our lives forever. A kind of love we have never known has been freely given to us. And we will find ourselves free from this temporary pattern of building and crashing waves. And we will meet Him face to face.
Let’s cry out in faith-filled courage and glorious relief! Let’s join with all nature in praising our faithful Father. We can assuredly submit to the process and set our affections on His precious Son.
He has come, my friend! He is here!
Songs to Listen to:
Activity to do:
Join us this Saturday at 4pm as we celebrate the birth of a king.