Picture Perfect!

Growing up, I eagerly anticipated Christmas cards that had a family picture attached. It was fun to see how families creatively posed to produce the “perfect picture.” But there’s one Christmas family picture that tops it all. It's like no other. The background is not a brightly decorated living room but a modest stable strewn with hay. Joseph bends over the cradle; his face wrought with tension, for his fiancé had just given birth and rumours were spreading. Mary gazes at an unassuming animal feeding trough where she placed her firstborn son, hardly the cradle she had dreamt of. Ordinary shepherds from a nearby field peer into this picture, joyfully amazed; while dignified wise men, clutch expensive gifts in their hands.

An angel hovers over the scene as if to remind us—that this gathering of strange people divided in life are united by a single goal—the worship of their Saviour. To this helpless babe, the lowly shepherds come. To this royal babe, the affluent wise men come. In this wondrous babe, Joseph finds strength to face the gossip and Mary gathers courage to nurture her Saviour. For a child has been born—for us! The gift of a son—for us! He is our Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness (Isaiah 9:6 The Message).

In our worship of the Saviour, we find strength to press on through difficult times and freedom to live life anew. In our adoration of the Servant King, we are united as one big family and community in Christ, though otherwise divided by ethnicity and class. As we take time to linger at the manger this Christmas, may its realistic simplicity and profound mystery infuse within our hearts a wondrous praise of the kingly babe. Picture perfect indeed!

Psalm 23- Rewritten

The LORD is my dance instructor,

He makes me glide across the floor;

He puts the rhythm into life, 

He makes my heart soar!

There are dances of joy, there are times when I'm tired and worn,
Through the highs and through the lows;
My dance instructor reminds me that I'm never alone.

Often I dance with a troop, with His glory all around;
But sometimes I am on my own,
with no beats, no music, no, not a sound!

But my dance instructor never leaves me,
He pushes me beyond my comfort zone;
He gently takes me into His arms 
and lovingly reminds me that I am His own. 

Whenever I move, I feel Him near,
Whenever I dance, I have no fear;
He's put a harp in my heart, His song of salvation and freedom,
And you can be sure that I'll dance my way, one step at a time into His heavenly Kingdom!