A Good Question

Every time I sit down to read a book by Madeleine L'Engle I find myself first caught up in the pure beauty of her prose and secondly challenged by her questions. Her questions make me think and ponder what I know and what I think I know about the Creator. This particular question, from her book Bright Evening Star, has me considering the impact of the Incarnation on all of the created world:

Was there a moment, known only to God, when all the stars held their breath, when the galaxies paused in their dance for a fraction of a second, and the Word, who had called it all into being, went with all His love into the womb of a young girl, and the universe started to breathe again, and the ancient harmonies resumed their song, and the angels clapped their hands for joy?

Did all of creation stop for that one brief moment in response to the greatest single act of love in its history? I don't know, but it certainly seems plausible. Time stopped for Mary in that moment when she said, "Let it be done to me according to your word" to the angel. Time stopped for Joseph when he learned that his betrothed was with child. And then it stopped again when the angel came to him in a dream. Time must have stopped for their families as they reeled in imagined betrayal of faith and the consequences thereof. The angels live outside of time, but surely their heavenly activity ceased for what we call a moment.

One moment to change human history. One moment to demonstrate God's power and His love all at once.

One moment.

Would that I remember to stop and ponder in awe at that one moment.