For those of you who are parents, do you remember when you brought your first new baby home? I don’t know about you, but I felt plenty of fear and trepidation when that happened. I couldn’t believe the folks at the hospital let us take this helpless little girl home! Would we be able to protect and care for her and keep her safe? It didn’t help that on day two at home we decided to give Rachel a bath on the kitchen counter next to the sink. She was nestled carefully in her soft foam Tweety Bird bath sponge. Then she flailed her arm and reached out and grabbed a steak knife from the block on the counter! Epic parent fail!
I’ve been thinking about caring for my new baby girl in the context of our theme for this school year “No Fear” based on Isaiah 12:2: “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” Is there anything more seemingly fragile than a newborn baby? We certainly don’t think about a baby as powerful or lifesaving. But there was one who was! Hear the words from Luke 2:10: “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Our Lord and Savior Jesus entered this world as a humble little newborn. I’m sure his parents had the same fears I did (but thankfully no steak knives). But because of that little baby we fear no more! As we walk together through this season of Advent, let’s wait with eager anticipation for the celebration of Christmas when we rejoice in the birth of the baby Jesus who would wipe our fears away and save the world.