To me, one of the highlights of the year is taking our grandchildren to Walmart to buy toys for Christmas.  There is nothing like seeing these little ones running around from aisle to aisle, talking to each other about the different toys they want to bring home.  And of course, to hear them say “thank you” just melts my heart with joy, so much so that I already think about when we can do this again.

In the past Santy and I used to buy them gifts but then we thought perhaps it’d be better if we took them so they could get something which they really liked.  Thus, began the annual Christmas tradition.  I noticed that taking part in this gift-buying and gift-giving process made it more personal and meaningful.  It becomes their giving gifts to themselves, and not only their receiving gifts from us. 

When God gave the gift of Heavenly Seed to Mary to bear His Son, indirectly God also gave the honor and the opportunity to Mary to give that gift to herself.  If God had handed Mary a born baby, she would have received a done deal.  She would merely function as an adopted mother at best, or a caregiver at worst.  But since God gave Mary the seed and the responsibility to care for this baby in her womb for nine months, Mary became a true mother who gave a gift of child to herself.  When she delivered Him, this was to be not only God’s Son, but also her son. Forever she would call Jesus, “My son.”

I am convinced that thirty-three-years later when she looked at her son’s hanging on the cross in pain, the only thought that crossed her mind was, “I wish I could take His place”—the one prayer that we, parents, utter upon seeing our children in pain. But this time it was Jesus’ turn to take her place—and our places. Mary was chosen to give life to Jesus; now it’s Jesus’ turn to give life to her—and to us.  She did it with joy, and so did He.  Oh, the joy of being chosen!

Pastor Paul