A Cry That Pierced The Night Sky
©2007 Steve Lattier and Real-Men.net
No one was ready, least of all the two travelers. Who in their right mind would have picked this time of year to pick up house and home and relocate to another city? She hoped her husband knew what he was doing and he hoped they would make it without incident. It was bad enough having to travel the winding hilly path to Bethlehem. Some even had the audacity to call it a road, phah! On dry days it was a cart-path at best and dangerous too. The hard times brought on by the Romans had left too many desperate and they had turned to way-laying travelers on the back roads these days. Here he was, far from home picking his way among the hills with half his belongings and an expectant fiance'. There was a whole other tale in the telling. If he hadn't seen and heard that angel with his own eyes and ears he would never have believed his young bride to bes' story of how she just “woke up pregnant” one day. He glanced over at her trying her best not to complain as the cold wind whipped around them and she shivered to her very core. She put on a brave face and glanced down at him thinking “what will we do?” She was inexperienced but she could tell by the commotion inside her that they definitely were not going to make it back home before the baby came. Maybe it was the jostling up and down the rocky hills that hastened the process she thought. Whatever it was she was kind of scared because she was coming to a strange town, and getting ready to give birth. What she really wanted was something warm to drink and her mom.
The two travelers pushed hard that day. He could tell there was a change in her expression when she looked at him. She was worried. He hoped everything was alright with the baby, most especially if all that the angel had told him was true. He was afraid to risk another day on that cold winter road so he pushed the animals harder. It wasn't so bad on him, being a carpenter and all he was muscular, fit and used to long hours of toil. Her? She was good stock and even quite pretty but he was sure that the pregnancy and the travel was wearing her to a breaking point.
The sun had set behind them, the clouds had cleared and the wind had died down but now it was cold enough to see the plume of ones breath as they plodded up the last few feet into town. Bethlehem he sighed mentally. Bethlehem meant shelter, warmth and a place to lay down other than the rock trailside that they had slept on for weeks now. There was warm light shining from many a window into the cold of the night. He led them straight to the heart of town to the inn. There were already several donkeys tied outside and there was much braying from around back. He mused a moment and thought, “King David of old came from here. I wonder if he ever stayed at this inn?” His fiance' groaned a little and he reached out for her to let her down. She held the side of the donkey and stretched her legs a little while he ran in to secure them some lodging. He came back out in just a few short minutes she looked at him hopefully, but could see his crestfallen look as he came back to her. The owner of the inn had told him that they were about four hours too late as the inn had filled up just after lunch, heck he had let people in out of the cold to sleep on the floor, which had also filled up early on. Joseph encouraged Mary and set off into the streets to ask at the doors to several houses to see if they could make a spot by the fire for him and perhaps a bed for his young betrothed again he came back rejected. Mary wept quietly and turned from him so he could not see the emotional and now the very physical pain run across her face.
The innkeeper was a savvy old businessman, but he knew when help was needed too. This young couple was in no shape to stay the night in the frigid air. He went out to them and offered the stable around back for free to the dejected pair. He explained to them that there was plenty of hay to lay on for warmth and since it backed into the hillside behind the inn the wind would not penetrate it. He assured them that he knew what he was talking about because he had himself, spent a few nights on that hay when the missus was in a disagreeable state. Joseph was glad of anything at this point and he could see Mary wince and hold her belly twice on the way around to the barn. Once inside Joseph made Mary as comfortable as one can. It smelled just about as bad as he thought it would and when he and she came in, the animals started a bit of racket. Now Mary was sweating and breathing very hard, cries of pain started to escape her lips. It was all Joseph could do to not panic. “The baby was coming? THE BABY, that baby the angel spoke to him about? HERE? What happened to this being part of Gods' plan? A hay pile in a filthy barn?” Josephs mind raced. “What were they going to do?”
He was getting ready to run back and fetch the innkeeper for surely he must have some experience in this when suddenly he heard a new sound. Mary cried a shrill cry and there it was, a loud Waaaaaaaaaaa that pierced the cold night air. The animals brayed, clucked and mooed up such an enormous din. The louder they got the more the baby cried, the more the baby cried the louder they got. He ran back to her and caressed her cheek. He helped get some old rags and stuff from the saddlebags and wrap up his newborn son! His son! “Wait” he thought, “Not my son, HIS son.” He helped Mary keep the new baby warm and they dozed for a while.
Joseph awoke to the sound of the stable door opening and hurried footsteps. He was frightened that it was someone wanting to rob them while they lay helpless. Four men came rushing at them and just as Joseph was preparing to lash out at one with his walking staff all four fell face down on the floor in front of Mary and the baby. He hadn't noticed it before but there was a strange light all around Mary and her son. It turns out the four were shepherds and were laying on the floor in worship. Joseph could hear them murmur “It is just as the angel described!” He thought he also heard “Town of David” and “Mosiach ben Judah” in a hushed whisper.
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We don't know exactly how it happened or even when. If it did happen in December it very well could have taken place like the story I wrote. We do know that a King was born some 2000 years ago and it changed the world. Here is what the Bible records:
Luke 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." 15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
The point is a child was given to us and because of that we celebrate Christmas. He was only here for 33 short years and only taught and healed for three. He came here for one reason. He came to die for our sin so that we would not have to. If he did enter this world with the lusty cries of a newborn he left with a purpose. He uttered the word “Teleo” (it is finished) and gave up his spirit.
You can never truly appreciate Christmas until you accept that what Christ did was real and that it was for you personally. He wants to be invited and he wants to get to know you and you him. Ask him into your life this Christmas season and tell someone that you received the greatest gift of all this year!
God bless you!
Steve
