We have lived with a baby in our family this past year; she just turned one. One day while rocking her, I was trying to hurry up and get her to sleep. I had phone calls and e-mails to return, dinner to start, the laundry room to attack. Then it struck me – what is wrong with me? Why can’t I just let it all go for a moment, sit here and look at her, rock her, love her, the gift of a newborn baby in our family?

From that moment, I relaxed, felt my shoulders drop, leaned my head back, and sang the song I sang my own children to sleep… Hush little baby, don’t say a word, Papa’s going to buy you a mockingbird. In minutes her heavy little eyelids closed and I sat there gazing at a peaceful sleeping angel. Heaven on earth.

Do we ever enjoy the infant Jesus? Could we see him as a newborn, keep him a baby just for this season, a few weeks at best? While he is tiny we do not love on Him nearly long enough. We are busy with the season. We are in a hurry. We hurry up to get Jesus grown, to get into the sweet spots of his ministry. We hurry up to get to Easter.  

How often, if ever, do we ponder caring for the newborn Jesus – human, helpless, dependent, yearning for love? Do we know how to love on him?

Surprisingly, there are some tender similarities between caring for the baby in our house and caring for the Baby Jesus. The checklist is the same. When our baby is fussy we ask, ‘Is he dry?”, ‘Is she hungry?’, ‘Does she simply need to be held?’, ‘Would a song help?’ The very things we do for our own baby we can do for Baby Jesus.

Sing to Him

“Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”

Ephesians 5:19

Sing him a song. He grew up with singing; it began on the night he was born. Lift your voice. Worship in song. Sing verses you know or make up some. Below I have included new words to my old standby.

Feed Him

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ “

Matthew 25:35, 40

In feeding others, we feed him. Pull out the recipes and get to the kitchen. Cook for someone. Provide food for someone in need. They do not have to be physically hungry; there are many circumstances a good meal will comfort. Give food. Feed. Consider that in doing so you just put the bottle in Baby Jesus’ hungry mouth.

Rest in Him

“In repentance and rest is your salvation; in quietness and trust is your strength…”

Isaiah 30:15

Let’s not go through these holy days without a quiet moment. Lean your head back. Rock. Feel your cares dissolve. You’ve got him and he’s got you.

Hush Baby Jesus, don’t make a peep,
Papa surrounds you while you sleep.

When you wake into this world,
Papa has planned for joy unfurled.

Sounds of angels in the night,
Humble shepherds see the sight.

Hush Baby Jesus, don’t make a cry,
Papa’s made for you stars in the sky.

Following bright star wise men old,
Brought you costly gifts and gold.

All the earth will be a part,
One day I will give my heart.

Hush Baby Jesus, don’t make a peep,
Papa surrounds you while you sleep.

Author: Suzanne Matthews

One day I am an artist and another day I am an author. One thing all days… I love the Word of God! I cut my spiritual teeth teaching the Bible Study Fellowship Evening Women’s class in Huntsville. After 14 years, God called me to write, and a few years ago I retired from the Huntsville Museum of Art as the Director of Advancement to finish writing Crossings: Life Lessons from the Book of Joshua. That study cemented my advocacy for small group study, and I am busy writing my second study to be completed spring of 2014. I married the love of my life, Ben, and we have four grown children and I am “Zannie” to seven grandchildren. We worship at Saint Andrew’s Anglican Church in Madison. You can keep up with me through my blog at Coffee, Tea and Thee.

Tags: baby jesus, Christmas, Huntsville, Our City On A Hill, Soul Food, worship