Dorcas was roused from sleep by footsteps in the hall. Surprised that anyone in the house would be awake in the middle of the night, she got up to check. The young couple who had been renting a room from Papa were trying to be quiet as they carried their belongings and little one down the hall.
“Is everything ok?” said Dorcas with concern.
“Yes, dear,” said the young mother softly. “Well, it will be ok. We have to leave right away.”
The little one squirmed in his mother’s arms so he could lean toward Dorcas whom he liked.
I’ll let Dorcas, herself, tell the rest of the story.
I kissed his forehead, trying to hold back tears. I had loved these three since they had come into my life that wondrous night just nine months ago. Papa hadn’t had a room for the couple and had to offer them our animal shed. I was sorry that their firstborn Baby had to be born in that shed, but I did what I could to help.
And that was only the beginning of the wonders. The night of the birth, local working men, sheepherders, had arrived at the shed with stories of angels announcing to them that this baby was the Messiah. They turned the town upside down with their boisterous excitement. Everyone they told talked about it for days and townsfolk came by with food and gifts and curiosity. Those who were in town for the census registration from all over our nation carried the news of the baby Messiah back to their hometowns.
A month after the birth, the young parents took the baby Messiah to the temple just half a day’s walk away. When they came back, they told us what had happened there. (By that time they were renting a real room from Papa since most of the census registrants had gone home.) The young mother glowed as she told us that an old man had found them at the temple and recognizing the baby as the long-awaited Messiah, had given a prophecy about him. An old woman who was devoted to God also came up to the little group of four and rejoiced that God had sent his Messiah. This had encouraged the young couple, especially the mother who could repeat the exact words that had been spoken over the Baby.
Sometime later yet another confirmation of the identity of this little one burst upon us. That day I was running an errand to borrow an egg from our neighbor, Abigail, a few doors down. It had gotten dark while I chatted with the neighbor’s children. While I was walking home, I noticed an unusually bright star in the night sky. It was then that I heard a commotion. A large group was approaching on camels. They dismounted and lead their camels single file down our narrow street. Many townsfolk were standing at their doors gawking at the opulent parade of foreigners. To my surprise, the whole contingency stopped at my door! I ran the rest of the way home and slipped in the door as Papa was opening it to see what was going on. The visitors were impressive with their lovely robes and decorated camels. What could they want with us? Where had they come from?
Luckily Papa spoke Greek and the newcomers communicated that they were seeking the “newborn king of the Jews.” In the capitol city, they had been advised to come to our village to find the little king-to-be. So even foreigners knew about the baby?! Papa graciously invited three of the men inside while the rest waited with the camels. Mama called upstairs to the young couple. As soon as the dignitaries saw Mary coming with the baby, they dropped to their knees in worship. All of us were speechless as they had their servants bring in lavishly carved chests. Opening them at the feet of the young mother, we saw the glittering gold and smelled the expensive frankincense and myrrh. But the best part was seeing the kneeling foreigners kissing the feet of the baby and smiling at him through tears of joy. They told of long days and nights traveling here to honor such an important king that the stars announced his arrival. They were surprised that the current king didn’t know about the baby. But the leaders of the faith community he consulted knew their old books had prophecies about such a king who they called the Messiah.
They spent the night camped on the edge of town and returned in the morning to stare at the child and caress his limbs. Then as suddenly as they had arrived, they took their leave of us. They seemed under pressure to leave, yet happy they had seen what they had come so many miles and spent so many months to see. Taking the young father aside, they spoke urgently to him while Papa interpreted. God had warned them in a dream not to return the short distance to the capitol and the cruel king where they had first looked for the King of the Jews. As they departed, a shadow fell across our household. Papa was clearly worried. If God warned the visitors not to report back to the king, that meant the king was now aware of the little king and meant to do him harm.
That night the young parents got up and made their own hasty departure. I followed them downstairs and listened while Papa and the father talked in hushed tones at the back door. An angel had appeared to the father in a dream telling him to, “Get up! Escape with the child and mother to another country,” the angel insisted. “Because the king is going to search for the child to kill him.”
“If the king wants to find our baby, he will certainly come to your inn. You, also, have a young son. Be careful, and do what you think best, Friend. Perhaps our paths will cross again someday. May God bless you for your kindness to his Messiah. Goodbye.”
While the father got their donkey from the shed where their baby had been born, I hugged the baby and his mother while the tears streamed down my cheeks.
“Goodbye. May God protect you, “ said Papa. And under his breath, “And us, too.” Then they were gone from our lives.
Papa lost no time. He got my mother and my little brother up right then in the middle of the night. They quickly packed some belongings including all our baby clothes while I was sent to get our donkey. He put Mama and baby on the donkey and handed me the lead rope. “Start out right now for Grandma’s house in the hill country. I will catch up with you after I close down our inn. The king will certainly search our house and he mustn’t find us here.”
As I walked in the cold darkness, I felt the warmth of my faithful donkey who carried my mother and my precious baby brother. I knew I needed to be brave, but I shed a few more tears. Our new friends and the baby Messiah were also traveling on this ominous night. Both of us refugees because of that heartless ruler a few short miles away who was willing to kill babies to keep his throne. I hoped Abigail’s family would be alright. I stayed silent and Mama held baby close to her under her cloak to keep him quiet lest someone hear us as we made our way out of town and into the countryside. I couldn’t help but wonder if those sheepherders were out in the fields tonight thinking of the night the angels visited them. They would have no idea that their baby Messiah is at this moment making good an escape from his homeland. Life is unpredictable. Evil is at war with Good. But surely God is watching over him. And us.
For Further Reading:
Matthew 2
Merry Christmas. What a well written story
Blessings
We miss you both and pray for you. Thanks for the encouragement! May you see many, many new blessings in the new year. Hugs.