The Birth of Jesus

Chuckle: Printed on the back of a leather jacket worn by a motorcyclist: "If you can read this, my girlfriend fell off!"

Quote: “Leave the broken, irreversible past in God’s hands, and step out into the invincible future with Him.”  --Oswald Chambers

THE BIRTH OF JESUS!                   

    "And while they were there (in Bethlehem), the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn" (Luke 2:6-7 NLT).

What a beautifully worded but simple account of the most miraculous and world-changing birth in all of human history. It doesn't matter that I've heard and read this story hundreds of times, it never fails to touch my heart in a fresh and unique way. Although our first picture of Jesus is as a baby in a manger, it should never be our last. The Christ child lying in a manger (animal feed trough) has become the subject of a beautiful and lasting Christmas scene. But we cannot let the picture end there.

This tiny and helpless Jewish baby lived an amazing life without sin, died for your sins and mine, rose again on the third day, ascended to heaven, and will come back to this earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will rule the world and will sit in judgment of all people according to their decisions about Him. Please don't let your mental picture of Jesus end with the nativity, but let Him grow up in your life to be not only your personal Savior but also the Lord of your life.

Notice how Mary wrapped the baby Jesus in strips of cloth (swaddling clothes). This wrapping of newborns was a common practice in Jesus' day and is still practiced in many Middle-eastern cultures. Obviously, such cloths were for warmth, but they also were used to give the infant a sense of security and safety. The cloths were also thought to protect the infant's internal organs.

Since He was laid in a manger, it's safe to assume Jesus was born in a dark and dirty animal stable -- not the atmosphere the Jews expected as the birthplace of the Messiah King. Stables were often caves with feeding troughs carved into rock walls. In my mind, it is only fitting that Jesus, as an humble servant, would enter this world in the most humble and unexpected way. Later in His life, Jesus said He "came here not to be served, but to serve others, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

I’m praying that the love of Jesus Christ will touch you and your family this Christmas. May you find new life in Him. A Christmas prayer: "Dear Lord, please restore the joy of Your salvation to us; let us experience the joy of Your presence in a refreshing new way this Christmas!"

Love, Jerry & Dotse