In the gospel narratives of the birth of Jesus, there is no mention of the reaction of nature to this remarkable birth. No account of the river Jordan flowing backwards; no indication of any seismic activity up on Mt. Zion or any other high place; no description of the Mediterranean Sea "fleeing" from the coastline its waves have been battering for eons.
But the songwriter believes there should be some sort of natural disruption. . . Some sort of chaotic disturbance in the well-ordered universe we know . . .some sort of reaction to God's dramatic action in making the divine presence all-too-human in Jesus.
And why?
Because the One who is being born will disrupt all of creation with amazing miracles;
the One being born will disturb the well-ordered notions
of the religious establishment;
the One being born will turn rocks into water fountains and
mineral deposits into swimming pools;
the One being born will turn ordinary bread into life-giving
nourishment;
the One being born will push us under the waters of the Jordan
and drag us up into new life!
Tremble indeed, O earth!
Tonight, we wait and dream (and maybe tremble), Giving God, for you come to disrupt our lives with the baby being born. Be with us in these hours. Amen.