“…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.” – Luke 2:7 (New Century Version)
Read that Scripture again!
Jesus was wrapped in pieces of cloth and put in a feeding trough…
Not quite the way you recall the story?
What happened to the soft, swaddling clothes and the quaint little manger?
It’s easy for us to sanitize the reality of the situation, and thereby remove some of the irony. But the fact of the matter is the Savior of Mankind, the King of kings and Lord of lords, was born in a stable, wrapped in rags, and set to rest in a dirty trough used to feed animals.
Why would a mother allow this for her child? She had no choice; there was no other place for them to stay.
Perhaps a better question to ask would be, “Why would our Heavenly Father permit His Child to be treated in such a manner?”
Well, in addition to prophecy being fulfilled, maybe God knew that His Child had to experience humanity. He needed to know what it was like to be homeless, helpless, and in poverty.
Later, He needed to understand hunger, the death of loved ones, persecution, and even death itself.
Jesus had to experience what we experience because He came to die for all of us.
Jesus experienced incredible highs and devastating lows so that He could meet us where we are. No matter what you’ve been through, what baggage you carry, or the scars you bear, Jesus understands.
This Christmas, let Jesus heal your hearts and set you free.
It’s the reason He was born. It’s the reason we celebrate.
