The Imperfect, Perfect Birth. . .

Working in Labor & Delivery, I had have the privilege of being a part of almost 2800 deliveries over my 34 year career.  This includes times when I was the patient's nurse, when I was the scrub nurse, when I was in the delivery helping other nurses and times when I actually delivered the babies.  In my first five years as a nurse I worked in NICU and we attended all high risk deliveries.  There is no way for me to know how many of those deliveries I attended during my NICU years.  There is one delivery however, that I would have loved to witness, that I would love to know even a little more about.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In five weeks we will celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus, one of the most important events of human history  andyet it has so little information actually revealed about it.  Being an L&D nurse, I want details! I want video if it is available!

Couples today spend the forty weeks of pregnancy planning the aspects of their child's birth.  Every detail has to be exactly what they want it to be.  They decide who will be with them for the big event.  They bring in massive amounts of belongings and equipment for the baby, all bearing the new child's monogram, of course.  Everything has to be perfect, everything new, sweet smelling and shiny.

Contrast what we know of our Lord's birth. The newborn baby Jesus, instead of being placed in a sparkling new baby bed, was laid in a feeding trough for animals.  The Lamb of God was placed were the lambs came to get their food.

Instead of monogrammed onesies and day-gowns, our Lord was wrapped in swaddling clothes.  The clothes of death were monogrammed with His purpose in going to the cross to purchase our salvation.

Instead of a parade of family members to visit, the Lord Jesus was visited the night of His birth by a group of shepherds who came to worship the One who is the Good Shepherd, the Great Shepherd and the Chief Shepherd.

It seems as if everything was wrong about our Lord's birth, but everything was, in fact, perfect.  It was the perfect place, the perfect time and the perfect way for a God who values love and humility.  Everything about His entrance into this world speaks to us of His heart.  

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls," (Matthew 11:28,29.)

He is a meek and lowly, humble and loving God.