In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became flesh and dwelled among us… John 1:1, 14a (EHV)
Away in a manger, no crib for his bed,
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky look down where he lay,
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.
This Christmas carol has been taught to children for generations and is a favorite of young and old. Whether you are the parent of a child with extraordinary needs or you know someone parenting a child with extraordinary needs, the words of this carol are timely reminders of Jesus’ coming to us because of his unfailing love for us.
Christmas can be a joy-filled time of busyness, but for parents of children with extraordinary needs, this season is often laced with unique challenges. Some are parenting children through the foster system or adoption process who have not been raised with the same Christmas traditions; building new Christmas memories can require extra compassion and patience. Some are parenting children who will never be able to sing the words to this carol due to extraordinary physical or developmental challenges; children’s Christmas programs can be a reminder of the grief these parents walk with. Some may feel so exhausted from the weariness of parenting children with chronic needs, that Christmas has lost its joy, and the timing of this season only adds stress. This carol reminds us that God came to be with us, and he always comes at the perfect time.
God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, took on human flesh as an embryo. He was born to a teenage mother who was married after her pregnancy became known; his step-father was a tradesman. He was a citizen of a nation under military occupation. Looking from the outside, we might reason that the time, place, and circumstances of his coming to be with us were anything but ideal. Jesus came at just the right time to accomplish his purpose of our redemption.
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. As it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Galatians 3:13 EHV).
A millennium before Christ’s death, King David wrote a vivid description of crucifixion, a gruesome form of capital punishment that would not be invented until four or five centuries later; Jesus quoted from Psalm 22 while on the cross. The Romans refined the practice of crucifixion, yet several hundred years before the Romans conquered the land of Israel, the prophet Isaiah spoke of the crucifixion of the Messiah for the atonement of sins (Isaiah 53). Jesus came to dwell with us at the perfect time, a time foretold centuries before his birth.
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, so that he would be born under the law, in order to redeem those under the law, so that we would be adopted as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5 EHV).
He still comes at the perfect time. He comes to us in his Word. When a Bible verse or promise from Scripture comes to mind at just the right moment, this is his perfect timing. When a hymn repeats in our minds that lifts our spirit and redirects our focus, this is his perfect timing. When a pastor delivers a sermon that is “just for me” or a friend shares a needed encouragement from Scripture, this is his perfect timing.
“‘Look, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son. And they will name him Immanuel,’ which means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23).
He is our Emmanuel, “God with us.” Those parenting children with extraordinary needs may feel alone in the struggle. In the midst of a long season without seeing much progress, parents may wonder when or if things will change. As believers, our hope is in Christ, and we trust His Word. We find comfort in knowing God is with us and his timing is perfect.
Prayer:
Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And take us to Heaven to live with Thee there.
Amen.
by Rebeckah Ellinghuysen