The
Gospel of James has an
interesting story; that Joseph had a vision or encountered an experience as he
went to find a Hebrew mid-wife. Mary was about to give birth and Joseph had
left her in the cave. These are writings from the 2nd Century and
are not included as part of the canonical Gospels.
"Now I, Joseph, was walking along and
yet not going anywhere. I looked up at the vault of the sky and saw it standing
still, and then at the clouds and saw them paused in amazement, and at the
birds of the sky suspended in mid-air. As I looked on the earth, I saw a bowl
lying there and workers reclining around it with their hands in the bowl; some
were chewing and yet did not chew; some were picking up something to eat and
yet did not pick it up; and some were putting food in their mouths and yet did
not do so. Instead, they were all looking upward. "I saw sheep being
driven along and yet the sheep stood still; the shepherd was lifting his hand
to strike them, and yet his hand remained raised. And I observed the current of
the river and saw goats with their mouths in the water and yet they were not
drinking. "Then all of a sudden everything and everybody went on with what
they had been doing.
My thoughts are drawn to the
possibility of “time” standing still, at the moment of birth of our saviour
Jesus Christ. God made flesh and living among us. The three expressions of God;
the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. All who existed before “time” and were
spoken of in the beginning (the book of Genesis).
It would seem quite natural that
time would stand still at that moment when the child Jesus drew his first
breath. Our God who is outside of time, entering our time – brings to my mind,
a sense of wonder and amazement. In that stillness and quiet, space without
noticing movement or breath of air, a pure silence and perfect moment to
conceive the birth of our saviour. Words cannot tell of such a moment nor can
we fully imagine the timeless importance for each and every one of us,
regardless of race or creed.
Take time to enter into silence,
breathe in the moment and receive the perfect gift.
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