Poem By George MacDonald

Where did you come from, baby dear?

Our of the everywhere into the here

Where did you get those arms and hands?

Love made itself into bonds and bands

Feet, where did you come from, you darling things?

From the same box as the cherub’s wings

How did they all just come to be you?

God thought about me and so I grew

But how did you come to us, you dear?

God thought about you and so I am here!

George MacDonald

I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him

1 Samuel 1:27

This delightful poem by George MacDonald reminds us that every baby is a gift from God. Sometimes we mistakenly think that only babies born to barren women are gifts from God. Not so. Eugene Peterson argues that "Birth, any birth, is our primary access to the creation work of God. (In particular), Jesus' virgin birth provides and maintains the foucs that God himself is personally present and totally participant in creation.."

Peterson goes on to say, " God is the Creator andhis most encompasing creation is human life, a baby. We, as participants in creation, do it too. When we begat and conceive, give birth to and raise babies, we are in on the heart of creation..."

This Christmas as we meditate on the birth of Jesus, may we pause and give thanks, not only to God as Saviour but as Creator too.