The Simpliest of Woes - by Elizabeth Reynolds

I've been doing some serious reconstructive surgery on one of the books I've written in order to get my word limit down. It is a story about a time-and-space-travelling trio who find themselves in 4 B.C. on the hills surrounding Bethlehem, on the famous night when Jesus was born.

The travellers actually get to be amongst the shepherds who visit the stable and one of my main characters - a fourteen-year-old girl - Evie - gets to hold the Baby Jesus in her arms. While she is absolutely speechless, she can't hold her emotions in, and a tear escapes her eye, rolls down her cheek and drops onto the tiny cheek of the Baby.

What I hope to capture in this moment, is the symbolism of Jesus crying our tears. Surely, He took up our pain and carried our sorrows...And reflecting on this, my mind went a little further and thought how incredible it is that even the simplest of tribulation a human can go through - namely, being a baby and needing its mother, or a burp, or a drink or a sleep - Jesus also went through.

I wonder whether Jesus remembers being a baby. Not many of us on Earth can say we remember that far back, but because He is God, perhaps He does. And although simple, it actually must be one the hardest times in a human life. Being so helpless. For Evie, when her tear fell upon the Creator of the Universe's cheek right there, helpless in her trembling arms, it all made sense. Jesus' life, death, resurrection, Christianity - everything.

Jesus, and therefore God, knows us inside out. And He carried it all. As in - ALL of it. Down to every tiny detail of human existence. That thought just touched me today and I hope it blesses you.

by Elizabeth Reynolds