Tuesday 23 July 2013

Fearfully and wonderfully royal...

Madison is in a bad mood. Everyone is excited about welcoming a new baby into the family, but she is not so sure. While Mum and Dad go to the hospital, Madison reluctantly stays with her grandparents, with the baby's soft pink gift in tow. In Grandma's garden and at the beach, Madison gets thinking about birds and bees and brand new babies, and asks 'Did God make me as well?'

Join Madison as she discovers that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made by a loving God, and a blessing to our families.

Today, I travelled a long way (relative to how far you consider a 'long way' - but it was long for my 3 year old) so that I could be there to support my good friend Penny in the launch of her newest book, Wonderfully Madison.

As I was in the car, news about a new royal baby was all over the radio. Of course everyone would have heard by now - Prince William and Princess Kate have had a baby boy.

The anticipation of the birth of a baby is something that almost can't be described. As a mother, you can spend all the time you want reading books and making rules about what we will and won't do with our children, or be like as parents (a funny link about this here). But the excitement from people who have never even met the parents-to-be, simply because of the status of the one being born - is almost one that also cannot be described. Huge crowds of strangers gather to see just a glimpse of the 8 pound something, completely dependant and helpless little boy (or a glimpse of the person who is about to tell the world the news of).

The radio announcer mentioned that already (at less than a day old) there is a huge burden on these tiny shoulders, as this little baby boy is in line to one day become King and rule over a nation.

It can probably be said that the news of this baby stopped the world.

Well, it made me think about another royal birth, but one that wasn't flashy or as widely and quickly spread as this one (could technology have played a part that Australia found out only minutes after the initial announcement?). The story of this royal birth has made history, and continues to affect people's lives everyday... Yes, I'm talking about Jesus - the King of Kings. No-one cared what he weighed, how tall he was, or what colour his eyes were... The prophesied baby and eternal king had arrived on earth; come to save the world, and the news is still spreading more than 2000 years later.


To many people, both of these royal babies don't really mean much... They're taking up precious time that could be used watching TV or driving to work with music on, or reading about 'real' news... But I wonder if it is because of the recognition of status that makes these births international news, stopping people to stare in wonder? When your country's monarch welcomes a new prince - that is certainly something to celebrate, sure. And when the right status of Jesus is acknowledged and understood (either now or when he returns), people will gather together for a glimpse of the eternal King, who came and died to save us from a life in darkness.

God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:9-11

I've been reminded today that every single person is unique and not like any other... Even identical twins aren't the same. We all have different strengths, weaknesses, passions, hobbies, limitations, hair colour, eye colour, and no two fingerprints are the same! Does it make you wonder how incredible our God and Creator is? Yes, science tells us that cells join and multiply and then a baby is produced, but each and every person is specifically created with different characteristics and personalities into His plan... His eternal and perfect plan.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:13-14a

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