Christmas Day Encouragement: “I Miss Your Baby”

“I miss your baby.” Are you going to hear those words today? Will someone you are with acknowledge your baby? Is anyone going to speak any thoughts to you of him or her?

 

Is anyone going to say the name of your son or daughter? “I miss him so much,” or “I really miss her,” or “I wish we were together with your baby too,” or “Your son is a part of this family even though he cannot be in the family pictures, see the family traditions, and eat the family meals,” or “I know that your baby is in the best place of all in heaven—but, oh, it is our loss!” I hope that someone does.

 

I hope that someone voices to you their remembrance of your child. Yet, I understand we cannot always assume so.

 

Some are lost as to what to say and they don’t want to offend. Some feel as though they will cause you pain at the mention. Some see your child’s name as too precious to speak. Perhaps there is another reason. What I understand is that death gives easy answers to no one. But your child is not forgotten.

 

I hope someone speaks to you that they remember your baby today. Family and friends, will you? We’re already thinking of our babies; you won’t bring pain by remembering them with us.

 

And sisters, we can let Christ’s coming speak, even if no friend or relative knows to do so. His birth brought the “yes and amen” to us; every good promise is fulfilled.

 

Does God remember? Yes and amen. Christ has done more than remember; He planned before the world began that He would become fully human, taking on our same flesh (Acts 2:23; John 1:14; Matt. 4:2). And He remembers us this day, believers, interceding for us (Heb. 7:25).

 

Does God approach? Yes and amen. Christ has dome more than approach; He has come so near as to be in a human womb; He has cried human tears like ours in grief (Matt. 1:18; John 11:35).

 

Does God comfort and give joy? Yes and amen. The Christ who has become fully human is also fully God; He comforts with His power over sin in this fallen, death-ridden world we know sorrowfully well—He gives the ultimate comfort and joy because He was born to die so that we could be reconciled to God (Matt. 20:28; 1 Cor. 15:57). And because there is one mediator between God and man, we can entrust our babies to His sacrifice too (1 Tim. 2:5)—our babies who, though born of the first Adam (Ps. 51:5), had no occasion to reject His light (Rom. 1:20).

 

Does God speak to us? Yes and amen. Christ’s redemption is of love and He speaks to our hearts the forgiveness of sin and freedom to be welcomed in the eternal story of His glory and eternal kingship, for all who repent and believe (Acts. 3:19-21; Rev. 19:16).

 

A Baby in a manger. The Savior. Think of this—those He came to serve did not esteem Him as Savior; they did not consider Him precious, did not speak of Him as He deserved (Isa. 53:3). Perhaps you and your baby will not be recognized as your heart desires today. Know and be comforted that the Savior of the world was not given His. Imperfect recognition, for all kinds of reasons, sadly hovers here.

 

But we can take our hurts to God; man’s recognition does not equal truth, and does not equate to value. Christ is the precious, esteemed, deserving, joy-giving Savior that He was not recognized to be. And, as God, what He recognizes as true is true and valuable. His birth, His death, and His life have graciously spoken worth into our lives and our babies’ lives. And He sacrificially welcomes us to share in His recognition—a future one—which we remember today was birthed and comes forth into all eternity from Christmas and, later, the cross and resurrection. We suffer today. But when He comes for the second time, we who have counted Him all-worthy now will share in His fame then.

 

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ”

Romans 8:17

 

“[We believers] are recipients of all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3) now, and in the future [we] will share with the Lord Jesus in all the riches of God’s kingdom (John 17:24; 1 Cor. 3:21–23).”[1]

 

Yes and amen. Praise Him for His great grace this Christmas day.

 

[1] Witmer, John A. “Romans”. In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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