Written by Iris Niven
“A poor life this
if full of care
We have no time
to stand and stare.”
In his thought provoking poem, W.H Davies extols the benefits and virtues of taking time out from the constant bustle of daily life to let our minds be enraptured by something of beauty, to find surprise and joy through seeing familiar things in a fresh light, or being inspired by the vigour of nature re-born.
As the calendar jostles us once again into the seasonal frenzy of Christmas preparation we find so little time to stand and stare, to meditate on the reason for the celebrations and to contemplate the depth of divine grace that brought us this most majestic of gifts, “the Word made flesh,” “God with us,” our Redeemer. Yet how sad it would be if, when handed a gift, we simply admired the wrapping but failed to accept the contents with gratitude for the abundance of love that prompted the provision.
Two sisters I knew in early years, daughters of a musician-vicar, used to sing as a duet,
“In the fullness of time
In a far-away clime
God sent forth a Saviour to earth
And Wise Men were led
by a star to his bed.
The heavens foretold of his birth.”
The Magi had taken time to stand and stare. They had gazed at a new phenomenon in the heavens, and analysed that a message of extraordinary importance was being written in the skies for all the world to see if only its significance could be deciphered. The impact on their hearts and minds was so profound that they made the decision to set aside whatever occupied their daily lives and to catch the epiphany moment of startling revelation. The Magi assessed that the heavens foretold of a birth so unique, so world-changing that they must embark on a journey of discovery, whatever the cost.
The fullness of time had come and wondrous things were about to be revealed.
The Roman armies had marched over great swathes of land, building military roads, trading routes and communication facilities that were fit for purpose. Now the long-awaited message from God of peace, forgiveness and reconciliation, could find ways to spread to all people in the then known world, and through time, to reach across all nations.
So the Magi fulfilled their great mission. Their reward was to see the infant king in the perfection of his being, and so to worship him. Had they not been watchful, trusting and convinced of the meaning of this powerful message from God to his people, they would have missed the greatest experience of all their days.
As the years roll on, many of us look back to special moments when the fullness of time has come upon our personal history, creating pathways and decisions that shaped not only our dreams and accomplishments, but also honed strength of character as we survived challenges. As each Christmas season has come and gone with all the fun, family gatherings and news from friends, there have been heart-stopping times too, when the unexpected, the uninvited events have occurred and changed our horizons for ever. It has been at such landmarks that we have needed to stop and stand still, asking ourselves what opportunities have been presented, what guidance has been given, what comfort has enfolded us in the hour of need, and to behold God’s master plan.
There remains a prophetic act of supreme drama, when the skies reveal the return of Jesus Christ to bring peace to our troubled world. Check out Daniel ch. 7, Matthew ch. 24, Acts ch.1.
May you have a truly authentic, happy and blessed Christmas and bright hope for 2025.