While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. -Luke 2:6-7 (NIV)
As the world knows, God sent down His Son to live as a flesh human being, to be born from a young virgin mother. And throughout every moment of His life, He would be the very essence of God’s love expressed on earth, from birth till death…and forever onward.
But when we look at his birth narrative, it’s so beautiful to see an Almighty Father, who created the universe…who created everything in it, and us…who would then humble Himself in sacrificial love to arrive as a helpless infant! And to not be born in a palace with earthly splendor and pageantry, but to be born in a manger.
In French, the word manger means “to eat.” The manger in the birth narrative, as we know, is a feeding container for animals…animals!. So we can be fairly certain it wasn’t sanitized. There was no antibacterial this or that to protect from infection. (And it probably smelled, too!) But there was God’s protection, and His plans.
Scripture tells us that there was no guest room for Joseph and Mary, which is why she wrapped the newborn Jesus in cloths and placed Him in the manger. But what an unlikely hero who would save the world! Stay tuned for what happens next!
Today’s soundtrack
“How Many Kings” by Downhere depicts it perfectly…how many kings would do what God did for us?
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