We went to the art exhibition in the church buildings next to the Temple last weekend and it was beautiful. There are some paintings that are my favourites and hope to get a few more for our home one day. But this year, I have a new favourite! As we celebrate Christmas this particular painting meant the most to me.
It felt so real. To me it feels like it captures what it really would have been like for Mary and Joseph at the birth Jesus. Them alone, delivering the baby. I really love how this tender moment between husband and wife with the baby is captured in this painting.
This picture instantly reminded me of when I read the birth story of one of my favourite bloggers and she wrote about how after the birth she and her husband got into bed with their brand new little baby to rest but couldn't sleep because they were so excited. She wrote later on (in this post):
"Never before have I loved birth stories more than I do now. All shapes and sizes. Christmas really is the celebration of a birth story and I've spent a lot of time this year thinking of Mary and Joseph having a baby in a barn, alone and quiet. It has survived the centuries as the epic birth story of all time."
This picture made me feel like I had a new insight into the birth story of Jesus and how not just at Christmas, but everyday of my life i'm grateful for His mother, for His life and for his infinite
And I think that's the best Christmas present of all!