Walter's phone buzzed.  He received a picture and a brief explanation.  Within seconds, he handed me the phone to share the news.  The baby had arrived!

Our niece and her husband had been a family without a homeland until this past fall.  They served in missions overseas and now that they were expecting their first child, they wanted to settle in Canada.  After much prayer and patience and finally communication with government representatives, this young couple were received back to her native land and his newly adopted one!  No sooner had they arrived, but the prenatal checkups showed baby wasn't growing at the normal rate.  With daily appointments and monitoring, our niece made it to 34 weeks before their little one made his appearance.

With excitement we rejoice that little Lorenzo has arrived, but at only 3.97 pounds.  He will need special care for the next while.  The new parents will also need special prayer support as they face more than the usual stress and adjustments that come with a newborn.  In the meantime, they will also be moving into a new place (planned when they thought the due date would be in January!).  I can't imagine all they are going through - joy, worry, fear, relief.  

Every new parent experiences a myriad of emotions leading up to and after their child arrives.  Mary and Joseph would have been no different.  Except that the baby born to them had a very specific and divine calling that no other child carried.  Isaiah says it best:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of His government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.  The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."

We all have hopes and dreams for our children.  We desire them to grow up healthy, active, productive, finding their place in the world and especially as Christian parents, we long for them to serve Jesus and do His will for their lives.  Mary and Joseph had an extra burden to carry in training and raising this Son for His future.  To have the government upon His shoulder, to be a counselor, God Himself, the Father and the Prince of Peace!  He would fulfill God's promise that another would reign on the throne of David forever.  Jesus would be that King of all kings.

As we pray for our new little great-nephew and his young parents, we think of the vulnerability of our Saviour when He arrived as a helpless, dependent baby.  What a miracle!  What a risky, beautiful and loving gift from our Father!