In June of this year, The Huffington Post reported research findings on the top ten happiest moments in life. The top five are interesting: 1. Birth of a child, 2. Wedding Day, 3. Birth of grandchildren, 4. Birth of another child, 5. Day of retirement.
It’s true, the birth of a child is unmatched—a real life gift from God. I can vividly remember the births of both of our children. The room was busy. Noises were unfamiliar. My wife was my main focus…at least for most of the time. I can still hear my thought both times, as if my kids were born this morning, “I get to be your dad!” The moment my wife held them was even greater. I love the quote I read recently that went something like this, “The moment a child is born, the child and mother enter the world for the first time.”
There are a few scriptures that remind me special moments like these. The birth of Jesus stands out. The scene was busy. Animal noises and Angel voices were all around. Shepherds were busy and Kings were silent. Surely, Joseph was an unsettled dad. Then, in a miracle moment, history changed. I love the way the New International Readers Version describes how Mary felt in Luke 2:19, simply stated, “Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. She thought about them over and over.”
Can you imagine? How proud was Mary throughout the life of her son? How great was it to see Him love people the way He did? She must have felt honored to see her boy healing the sick, teaching the children, and comforting sinners? How did she feel when He hung on a cross? Can you imagine how she felt when she realized He laid His life down for her—as her Savior?
Surely, we can never fully appreciate how Mary must have felt, but we can understand that pain and unrest gives way to joy and peace in Christ. As David wrote in Psalm 30:5 (GNT), “Tears may flow in the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Jesus is the Christ for all who believe—even for the mother who delivered her baby, who was in turn delivered by Him.