The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a child, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. —Luke 1:30-33
This year, I await the Christ child. In Advent of 2012, I was also awaiting the Lane-&-Ben child.
As a first-time, soon-to-be dad, I was all too busy preparing for this child to come into our home. I read all the latest labor and delivery literature, met regularly with the midwives, and attended weekly childbirth classes. Every moment of my ‘free’ time was devoted to preparing the nursery: furniture assembly and closet clearing to make room for all the gear that comes with the baby. (Who knew such a small person needed so much stuff!?!) While I exhausted myself with all the preparations, it was my excited anticipation that drove me to complete the to-do list. I was excited … really excited.
On our kitchen counter sat a notepad where, each evening over dinner, we added or marked off potential names for our coming child. We thumbed through the baby-name books borrowed from the public library. More adding. More scratching out. What name shall be given this child?
Our final decision was one that spoke to our hearts and remained on the list through many conversations. After all, bestowing a name upon someone is not to be taken lightly.
Every day, as I watched my wife’s belly grow taut, my imagination whirled with the possibilities of life held within; what life shall be lived by the child within?
Each night before bed, I placed my ear to Lane’s belly and in my silly, sing-songy voice called, “Hello, Baby! I am your daddy and I love you!” Then, I listened. I wondered.
One night, when I took this moment to slow down from the busyness of preparing and anticipating, I paused and wondered….
How did Joseph prepare for his new child? What did he read? Did Joseph keep a copy of the latest childrearing book by the first-century’s Dr. Benjamin Spock on his bedside table? Of course, he had no need for baby-name books from the library; the angels took care of that task for the couple.
Did Joseph paint the nursery according to Mary’s chosen color scheme? Even as a carpenter, did he actually read the directions as he constructed nursery furniture?
Did Joseph put his ear to Mary’s belly each night before bed and call, “Hello, Baby! I am your daddy and I love you!” to our Savior?
As Joseph watched Mary’s belly grow taut, could he fathom the life that would be lived by the Christ child within?
Maybe he did some of those things, or maybe none of them; after all, more than two-thousand years of history, technology and science separate the two of us.
But I do know one deep connection that Joseph and I shared that Advent season: Our hearts sang out with joyful anticipation as we awaited Love into our homes.
Open my heart as I await the arrival of the Christ Child with joyful anticipation. Help me await in wonder and anticipate new beginnings. May I be prepared to welcome Love to my heart and home this Christmas. Amen.
Ben Hartman