Lessons From the Manger

As I think about Christmas, I think about my little nativity scene at home… The centerpiece of the scene of course is the tiny baby Jesus… Surrounded by the all trusting Mary and Joseph… Can you just imagine what faith it took to be them… and we think we trust God…

Then there are the stately wise men… Adorned in their priestly robes, bearing gifts from afar… Have you ever thought about those gifts? What would a tiny baby need with gold, frankincense and myrrh??? How bout some diapers, baby wipes and a paci…but I digress….

Then in the back of my manger scene…there they stand… those nasty, stinking, needing a bath shepherds….. not to mention they brought their dirty sheep and mules… They are covered in dirt from their work, they have no ounce of royalty that the wise men brought…but there they stand….

Why, you ask??? Because God wanted them there… On that glorious, holy night, God sent them an Angel and announced to them the coming of the Lord… I love the Creator of the Universe would send these “nasty” people his message… Isn’t that just like Him??? To go to the dirty, the outcast, the poor, the unwanted, and reach out to them at a time when they need Him the most...

I thank God that He visited someone like the Shepherds that night… It means there is hope for a depraved mess like me… If He would have only showed the star to the wise men… I wouldn’t have a chance…Thank God for the Shepherds!!!

*

“Behold,

unto you,
is born this day,
in the City of David,
a Savior which is Christ
the
Lord.”

- The Angel of the Lord, to the Shepherds

P.S. Notice how I made the verse look like a tree… Ponder that verse as you look at your tree over the next 6 days!