Tiny Two

              Have you ever held a stick of dynamite in your hand? I never have, but if I did, I know I would handle it with a great deal of care and respect. Have you ever been up in a bell chamber while eight full size bells were pealing? I hope not, because otherwise you might not be around to tell the story, at best hearing could be permanently damaged. Such small, seemingly harmless things; bells and dynamite, yet the intensity of a blast of dynamite could kill you, and the intensity of sound from eight bells pealing at full kilter up close could paralyze, incapacitate and, if given enough time, kill you. I know, by this time you're sighing and shaking your head at me,

"Christianna, are you comparing Jesus with bells and dynamite?"

   Why yes, what an astute mind you posses.

You roll your eyes, "alright, how is Jesus like a stick of dynamite, or a peal of eight bells?"

              Okay, alright, I know it's cheesy, but seriously, think about Mary. She carried God's son around inside of her for nine months? She carried one who was fully human AND fully God. I know that would scare me far more than holding a stick of dynamite. Of course we don't know whether Mary fully understood at the time who this unearthly baby would go on to become. All we know that she knew at the time was the she was to give birth to a baby placed in her not by a man but by the power of God and His Spirit. Did she know all that her tiny newborn son was going to do, when she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid Him in a manger? Probably not.

               Think about it though, we know she was with him at the cross, one of the first to learn of his resurrection, and most likely present at the ascension. She is the only recorded person who was with Jesus from the moment He entered this world to the second He left it, what a grand privilege. I'm not sure I'd want it, the disgrace of having a child while unmarried. The shame would have been magnified in those days, that could frighten me more than standing in a bell chamber with a peal of eight bells. Jesus would have appeared to be an illegitimate child His whole life, she would be viewed as an adulteress, and yet, what was her response when the angel Gabriel explained what would happen?

         "Behold [I am] the bondservant of the Lord, let it be done to me according to His will."

             What a courageous response, what a trusting young woman. I figure she had no idea what a great gift she was going to bring into the world, or everything she was in for, bad and good, but I'm guessing she knew enough about the kind of dynamite involved to be scared.

           The song I'm going to share is a little different than what you all here are probably used to. However, I think Mary did You Know is not only God honoring, but appropriate for the season. Don't worry, nobody's worshiping Mary here, it's simply to draw us into the right perspective to gaze in awe at the wonderful God who came to earth for us. Nobody knew, least of all Mary, what Jesus actually was and what He would do, He shocked the entire kingdom of Israel and I think it's important that sometimes we stop and allow ourselves to be amazed again as well. 

            Centuries ago God asked Job "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding." (Job 38:4) We can never fully comprehend the ways of God, or do the things He does, we should indeed be grateful that He is in charge of the world and didn't leave us to run things. Meditate on that as you listen to this thought provoking song and be overwhelmed afresh by the power of God Most High.


                          Next time you find yourself around explosives, remember Mary and thank God for the best dynamite He ever sent mankind.
       ~ Christianna