And a child will be born

to Mary;

fragile,

vulnerable, weak

in his humanness;

wonderful, strong,

life-changing

in his divinity;

unlike any other

in his power

to shape creation.

he will be

Emmanuel,

God

with us.

coincidentally

it was just the
right size
and it was
the cleanest place
in the
stable

warm
sweet
smelling

for the
little chap
though not
what Joseph had thought
his
carpenter’s hands
might
fashion for the boy
but under
the circumstances
it would
have to do

from the
breast
and laid him
in the feeding trough

who had
turned the man’s world
upside down
rested
sleeping the
sleep
of newborns
everywhere

the new mum
and dad
watched him
marvelled at
him
felt their
love
rise up for
him
and wondered
what the
future
held for him

God had
provided
just as the
angel
said he
would

ordinary though
they were
somehow they
too
were now
part of
God’s
unfolding purposes and plans
just like
Abraham and Isaac
like David
and all the prophets
their story
was now part
of God’s story
would be
told
and re-told
generation
after generation
just like
the scriptures they had learned
at their
mother’s knee

as with the
manna in the desert years
God had
provided

and nervous
parents
talked of
the wonder
of these things
they sensed
for a brief
moment
the faintest
whisper of a smile
on the face
of the baby

in later
years
the Bread of
Life
rested
in a feeding
trough

the perfect
place

o favoured
one
the Lord is
with you

the voice was
clear
and steady

this radiant
dazzling figure
who’d
mysteriously appeared
out of
nowhere

felt her own

sharp intake
of breath
before this
strange figure
who’d rudely
interrupted
her
daydreaming

of a man
yet was
so very
different
nebulous
shining
his features
softened
by a
shimmering glow
and he
carried a presence
that
emanated
an
extraordinary peace

felt on edge
adrenalin
coursed
through her
like a
mighty waterfall
she felt in
the presence
of something

terrifyingly
beautiful
spell bindingly
powerful
hugely frightening

simply
do not be
afraid

could have
prepared her
for what
came next

one who will
reign
over Israel
forever

of the Most
High

Jesus

a heady cocktail
of confusion, questions
arguments
random
tumbling thoughts                                           

after a
split second
that felt
longer than a lifetime

this
terrifying encounter
had to be a
mistake
he had the
wrong girl
it couldn’t
possibly
be her
she’d never
slept with a man

carried on

will
overshadow you
and make you
pregnant

the Son of
God

a holy baby?

battled for
attention within Mary
she wanted
to run like the wind
from this conversation
pretend it
never happened
get back to
being ordinary

voiced
itself in her head

will
conceive a child                                                                            

this crazy
scenario
all seemed impossibly
possible

that she was
the chosen one

knew she
could never deserve it
had no concept
of the consequences
she wanted
to laugh, cry, dance
all at once
wanted to tell
everyone
about the
angel

there was
only one response
she could
make

let it be to
me
as you have
said

.

as simple
as washing one another’s feet

Lord, forgive us
when we make discipleship
difficult

that was never
how you taught it

when I search your gospel teachings
I discover nothing more
and nothing less
than great simplicity

a basin and a towel
bread and wine
a simple touch
a word of forgiveness
a rhythm of prayer

take nothing for the journey

a grain of wheat
a mustard seed
the profound simplicity
of love

as simple
as washing another’s feet

forgive us
when we complicate discipleship
help us instead
to simply serve
out of your great love
and our
naked vulnerability

the world
keeps turning

life
is probably
unfolding as it should

accept and embrace
what is

offer yourself
to life’s unfurling;
let it carry you in its flow
to where
you are meant to be

all
will be well

let go
of all that is not

accept and embrace what is:
this situation
this now
this state of being

love yourself
love others
love God

accept

embrace

let go

be at peace

open yourself
to the Spirit’s flow

sometimes
loneliness consumes me
until I look inside myself
and find You there
source of life
living Christ
love everlasting
ground of my being
knower
of all things

I held his gaze
for a lifetime

eternity
compressed within a second

eyes locked
in unspoken pain
and understanding

recognition
of a calling
too high
to walk away from
whatever
the excruciating cost

I knew about calling

and the cost of his
couldn’t have been higher

with every nerve in my body
I felt the inevitability of it

every
twist and turn
of the journey
every road
from the stable to now
had been leading
towards this path
propelling me
into this sword piercing pain
the agony
of watching him
steadily walk
towards his certain death

apology
love
fear
broken dreams
a lifetime of emotion
filled the air between us

we dare not let ourselves
come close
for fear
the nearness would break us
our love for each other
draw him away
from the call

I busied myself
bit my lip
got on with the difficult business
of being ordinary

this was the day

the hour
had nearly come

early in the morning
he rose to pray

slipped away
from the twelve

and watching
the gentle, soft light
of dawn
infuse the edges of the clouds
with brightness

he whispered

however you want this day
to unfold

let it be

let your glory
shine