Dec 25

Placed Him in a Manger

"...and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:7

A humble beginning for the son of the Most High God...born in a barn surrounded by cattle. Have you ever been in a barn? They smell, they’re dirty places, even the cleanest barn would be the last place I would choose to give birth to any child, but especially the son of God! Royalty sleeping on hay? What kind of entrance into the world is that for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? Not the way I would have planned Christ’s birth, but then again I don’t have the wild imagination that God has. If there is one thing I have learned in this life it is that God’s plans are so much better than any I might come up with. When you really think about how God’s son came into this world you realize that Jesus’ birth set the tone for His entire earthly ministry. On that dark mysterious night, the son of God tiptoed onto this earth while the whole world slept on unaware how important this day was to their salvation. Jesus was born to lowly, poor earthly parents. He was raised on the "wrong side of the tracks," after all, what good could possibly come from Nazareth. He grew to manhood knowing the pain of poverty and hard work. All this proved to sensitize Jesus Christ to the pain of the world around him. After all, He was the Savior of the world! He knew what royalty was and yet he left it to come to earth to save us and here he learned what poverty was also. He knew how to abound and how to be abased. He was a man of sorrows and was acquainted with grief. This is why he reached out to the poor and lowly, the outcasts of society. He stopped and healed the lepers and saved the prostitutes. He gave hope to hopeless people. That’s what makes our savior so very special. He then ascended to His palatial home above, He took his place along side His Father, the God of the Universe, and yet, He has not forgotten those He came to save, the poor and lowly of heart. He still reaches out to hopeless people, giving them new life in Him. What a Savior we have in Jesus Christ!

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the gift of Jesus Christ. Father, though on the day you sent your son to this earth there was no room for Him at the Inn, may we make room for Him in our hearts. Though Bethlehem overlooked you, dear Jesus, we open wide our arms to embrace you. Thank you for coming in weakness and humility that we might know your strength and power. Thank you for the lessons you have taught us through your humble walk on this earth. Bless you, dear Jesus, for giving up your royalty in exchange for poverty that we might have life in You! Amen