Do you see what He sees? Matthew 9.

Read Matthew 9 online here.
On Christmas morning, do you wake up with the thought of a baby's cry in the stillness, mingled perhaps with the breathing of nearby animals? Can you feel the cold of a night spent outdoors, and smell the feed and feces of those same animals? Are you filled with wonder? A wonder that connects you to that young mother, who, after, the experience of giving birth under such primitive conditions, now knows the fulfillment of the promise given to her?

Or do other thoughts fill your mind? Wow, it's early. Gotta turn on the Christmas lights, start the coffee. The kids are excited. Where's my robe? Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Or maybe Christmas morning, as it is for too many, is a troubled time for you? Pain, sorrow, anger, loneliness, illness, or worry fill the morning.

There aren't any "correct" thoughts on Christmas, although there certainly are some that draw us closer to the event, and those that push it to the sideline. Something that's true for most people who celebrate Christmas, however, is that the sense of anticipation and waiting is over. So too, for the people of Israel, whether they knew it or not, believed it over time, or not. Their waiting was also over. Messiah had come. "All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means 'God with us')." (Matt. 1:22,23 TNIV)

And what were God's thoughts on the morning His Son entered the world? We can't know of course. We can't even know how God experiences time. But as I read through this chapter, it occurred to me that some of what God saw in the sending of His Son, is pictured in this chapter.

A group of friends bring a paralytic on his bed to Jesus. "Take courage, son, your sins are forgiven.... Get up, pick up your bed and go home."

The tax collector answers the call, "Come, be my disciple."

By example, Jesus lives the Father's desire for compassion not sacrifice.

There is great joy in the presence of the Son.

Faith is strengthened, and healing takes place. Death is overcome.

The forces of darkness are pushed back, and a voice is given to the voiceless.

And God saw with compassion "... the people, who were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

"As they went out, behold, they brought to
him a dumb man possessed with a devil."
-- Gustave Dore (engraving)

With infinite compassion, the Father could see all that this birth meant to His creation. And so could endure the painful separation that would come at the end of this earthly life. As could the Son.

Whatever other thoughts you have this coming Christmas morning, I hope you'll take a few minutes and remember what you read this month. Perhaps as important as anything else, remember that we are the answer to the prayer Jesus asked his followers to pray. “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” (v. 9:37,38)