| The Child is Born: The Angel’s Good News |
|
Reflections: Talk about an inauspicious start. Jesus was born, not in a palace, but in a stable or possibly in a cave. Wherever it was, he had an animal’s feeding trough for a bed. No warm crib. Just hard, rough wood, probably laced with straw. The angel told the shepherds, “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” What kind of a sign is that? That is a sign that points toward poverty, not majesty. It is a sign of despondence, not of one who was promised to be the hope of the world. Jesus was never what people expected him to be. The Jewish people were looking for a king to overthrow the hated Roman government. What they got was a Messiah in the form of a baby in a manger. They were looking for someone to lead a military coup and restore Israel to greatness. What they got was a Savior who allowed himself to be crucified. As Gordon MacDonald wrote, “They all were looking for a king to slay their foes and lift them high; Thou cam’st a little baby thing, that made a woman cry.” Jesus doesn’t conform to what we think he should be. He is who he is. We are commanded to conform to him, not the other way around. Are there ways that you are trying to get Jesus to conform to your needs and desires? He wouldn’t do it 2,000 years ago, and he won’t do it today. Pray for him to change you so that you can become more like him. |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|