From the heart of a Mother.... heart

December 1997



I recently read a Christmas folk song to my children that was new to me and brought a fresh perspective on the story of Jesus' birth. Its legend says that just as the cow gave her manger for the baby Jesus' cradle, and the sheep gave her wool for His blanket, all of God's creation had a part in His birth story. Even spiders spun webs across a cave's entrance to hide the Holy Family from Herod's armies. The soldiers looked, saw the webs, and concluded that no one could be in there because the webs were seemingly undisturbed. Thus, the legend says, Joseph, Mary and Jesus were able to elude Herod's armies and escape to Egypt. While it is at best apocryphal, I liked the message behind it. For isn't it just like the Sovereign God to use the weak to confound the strong?





THE SPIDER'S WEB

-Author unknown


Joseph, Joseph, don't stay any longer,
Take your little family and ride away,
Herod's sending soldiers to search for baby Jesus,
He's jealous and he's powerful, so please don't stay.

Mary, Mary, do not try to argue,
Pack up all your things at once and leave this town,
Get away to Egypt, Herod will not look there,
You can live in safety 'til the fuss dies down.

Soldiers, soldiers, nearly catching up now!
Who can help that baby, not so far ahead?
Quick now, here's a cavern, tucked into the hillside,
Will the soldiers see it, guess where they have fled?

Spider, spiders, start your busy spinning,
Weave a lacy curtain at the entrance in the rock,
Soldiers will ride past it, Jesus will be safe now,
And nevermore will anyone the humble spider mock.









...God chose the foolish things of
the world to shame the wise:
God chose the weak things of the world
to shame the strong.
He chose the lowly things of the world
and the despised things-
and the things that are not-
to nullify the things that are
so that no one may boast before Him.
It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus,
who has become for us wisdom from God-
that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
Therefore, as it is written:
"Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
~I Corinthians 1:27-31

From our home to yours - Merry Christmas!

Deb


Copyright © 1997. All rights reserved. May be used or reprinted
with written permission.




For other "musings", please see Previous Month's Musings


HOME