Who can avoid being melted by the sounds of a little baby's gurgling and "baby talk." The older I get, finding myself farther from the days of having little ones around the house, the more precious and noticeable those baby sounds are when I hear them in public. Just seeing a little newborn coo or yawn makes one say, "Isn't that the cutest thing?" 

I'm sure Mary and Joseph entertained a few family and friends with their newborn, Jesus. God incarnate, becoming like one of us, didn't start off with a vocabulary of a Mensa member or speak in six languages as a two month old, but Jesus, Immanuel, tiny lipped his share of gurgles, cute cries, and adorable yawns to the delight of those around Him.

Our world, and perhaps we would admit ourselves, probably would rather have it that Jesus stay just a cute little baby. "Just yawn, just giggle/gurgle, just coo and ooh--JUST STAY CUTE! Don't grow up!" People would rather hear baby talk from Jesus than what He says through His Word as a grown up Immanuel about our needing to turn to Him and accepting Him as Lord and Savior. "Please, Jesus, just be a little baby. Play your role now, just like in the Christmas play." The miracle of Christmas is that the babe who began with such baby gurgles and adorable yawns left infancy to grow up to rescue people from the sin that leaves them barely able to talk by His visiting the "manger" of a wooden cross. And from that "wooden manger" uttered cries of forgiveness for those who know not what they do. I like to hear cute baby sounds, but the sounds of the babe of Bethlehem on the cross and heard in the depths of my soul.

What a God we have! What powerful utterances from our Savior--as infant or full-grown man. They are all sounds of a God calling to you and me to pay attention and notice Him and call Him Lord.

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Russ