I’m sure you’ve heard that famous song by Faith Hill: “A Baby Changes Everything.” Most of us can recall the shift in the cosmos that happens when our firstborn comes into the world and into our arms and hearts. Babies do change a lot, but there is one baby who quite literally changed everything.

We are so familiar with our traditions and cycles of the calendar in our lives that we sometimes miss the opportunity to sit and ponder the mystery and miracle of Jesus as “the new-born King.” We don’t live in a “before Jesus walked on earth” part of history. We can’t really understand the system of necessary sacrifices or the laws, rules and regulations that needed to be meticulously followed to meet God’s standard. Afterall, isn’t the very point that we can’t do it. Effort alone cannot make one holy.

However, Jesus as a baby brings the opportunity to reconcile God and sinners. Jesus as a baby–”God coming in flesh to dwell / our incarnate Deity–” is the beginning of our way back to the Father. Jesus’s birth is the birth of hope. Our only hope. As the Christmas hymn says “Life and Light to all he brings / Born that we no more may die / Born to raise us from the earth / Born to give us second birth.”

Jesus explains his purpose in his own words recorded in Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” And for whatever reason, he came as a baby.

As we reflect on the 2nd week of Advent, take some time to sit and ponder the miracle and mystery of Jesus- our Savior, Creator, and Sustainer in the arms of his mother Mary.

Father,
We thank you for sending Jesus to earth as a baby. Thank you for making a way for us to be reconciled with you. Thank you for the hope that comes with the birth of Jesus. Help us never lose the wonder of Jesus: our newborn King.
Amen.