Winter Musings
Probably the most significant event in anyone’s life, certainly for a woman, is the birth of a baby. Whether desired or not, the changes that come with the arrival of a new child are far reaching. However, unless you are famous the event is unlikely to be noticed by anyone other than your immediate family and friends. Within the pages of our newspapers, or on news bulletins, you will find articles of a more grandiose style.
Take for instance the year 1809; the big news of the day was about the bloody campaigns and victories of Napoleon in Austria and Spain, yet completely missed was the birth of two babies. Yet that same year in a log cabin in Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln was born who radically shaped and formed the USA. That December in the UK saw the birth of William Gladstone who arguably became one of the greatest Chancellors and politicians this country has ever known.
And what of Napoleon? Well Waterloo rather ended his career and the grand empire he sought to build. It often seems that what we consider important proves, with the eye of history, not to be, yet what we undervalue and overlook goes on to be of the utmost significance.
So let us go back two thousand years, when another emperor was busy building his lasting legacy. Augustus, ruler of the known world, the head over all the Roman might was causing a bit of press and ordered a census of the people. Had the Times, the Mirror or the BBC been recording history we would have had swarms of reporters in Rome and Jerusalem as the might of the empire forced hundreds of thousands to migrate back to their place of birth. Yet it was not here that history was being made, it was not Augustus or his descendants that influence us every single day of the week today.
Like Napoleon, Rome fell and now lies in the dust, evidenced only by artefacts dug out of the ground and a few parchments and codices, and the world has moved on. No, to find the real history maker, you need to look outside the capital cities to an undercroft of a domestic house in a small rural backwater, where a newborn child was laid to sleep in a feeding trough. Yes – Augustus’ decree prevented the baby having a warm bed as Bethlehem’s population had temporarily blossomed, but it would be Jesus who ultimately brought Rome down, despite its best efforts.
This Christmas, it is the prayer of Knaphill Baptist Church that you may see with fresh eyes the wonder of the birth of Jesus, a wonder only acknowledged at the time by Mary, Joseph, some shepherds and wealthy Arabs from Iran.
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Christmas always starts with Christ, otherwise it’s just a party not an invitation…
A very blessed Christmas to you and those you love.
Why not read Richard’s “older musings” – here ->
