Christmas Day is one week away… wow! Where does the time go? Wasn’t it just spring break? Or summer vacation?
In the midst of all that is wrong in the world today, as we think about the Christmas story, the one thing that we might perceive to have been wrong, was actually right. Yes, it was right for Mary to place Jesus in a manger.
From Chapter Five of Be Born in Me:
While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, and she gave birth to her first son. Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough.[1]
She placed Him in a feed trough. In the Ancient Days most feed troughs in caves were merely hollowed out logs or rocks sitting on the ground. You can’t get much lower than that. Jesus, God in the flesh. God who sits on the highest throne in the highest Heaven, squeezed Himself into a human form. And if that wasn’t low enough, He was then placed mere inches above the dirt and manure that was in that animal cave. Why would God do that? Send His son. To the lowest possible place on earth?! To a feed trough?
Think about the trough being in the dirt and mud on the cave floor. Like Adam from the Garden of Eden, we all began our lives in the dust of the earth and Jesus knows that we all have dirt and mud in our lives. That’s where we need Him most!
“Jesus, be born in me!”
The apostle Paul also notes that Jesus gave up His place with God in heaven and made Himself nothing (Philippians 2). Why? Simply because He loves us.
He loves you. He really does. Even though you may be a little dirty. Even though you may be a lot muddy. It doesn’t matter to Him… He has been there too.
Isn’t that incredible!?! God in the flesh has been where you are… only His love can pull you out of the pit you are in. He is uniquely qualified to be our Savior. He knows how messy our lives are… and it doesn’t stop Him from reaching out His loving arms to lift us up.
May I encourage you to make this prayer, your prayer: “Jesus. Be born in me!”
Be Born in Me is divided into five sections and includes discussion questions so you can use in a weekly small group, family devotional or class setting.
[1] Luke 2:6-7 (NCV)
RichRonald.com 