This devotional series has 12 entries intended to carry through the Liturgical season of Christmas. I searched my memory and surveyed a bunch of parents to come up with twelve actual thoughts we had during our first days as parents. Perhaps these are also thoughts Mary or Joseph had during those first few days in Jesus’ infancy.

The early days of parenting are often extremely isolating. You are so tethered to your child because of their many needs so you can’t go anywhere or really do much of anything. When friends would stop by just to visit it was one of the most welcome interruptions to those early days.  Trips to the store for groceries felt like exciting escapes back into the world where other people lived.
This year, I imagine we can all resonate with these emotions just a little bit more than usual. It’s been a very isolating year and that has reminded even the most staunch introverts just how important human interaction is for each of us. We were created to be with others. God never intended for us to go through life alone.
When I look back at human history this seems to be one of the undeniable core truths. People have always found ways to build communities and to share life together. Even though community is hard work, people kept doing it. God recognized this fact of human existence. Heck, God created us to be this way, and that’s what makes Jesus’ birth so deeply beautiful. God created us to be in community with one another and so God chose to be born as a human baby so that God could be in true community with us.

INVITATION:  Reflect on the role that relationships and community has played in your life. Take time to call a friend or family member who you haven’t talked to in a while and reconnect.