“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7 There were probably many stables in and near Bethlehem, so how did the shepherds know where to go to…
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:7 When my first child was born, I traveled in a car to a modern hospital, where I was quickly…
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn, (Luke 2:7, Holy Bible, King James Version).
- How we carol with passion the words of Away in a Manger and scatter clean hay in a mock nativity with little thought of how unhealthy, how cold, maybe even how dangerous, it was for Mary to give birth in those conditions. I’ve been rejected at hotel check-in far from home and heard that my room had been given to someone with a similar name or learned that the room wasn’t inhabitable. I’ve pushed for the hotel to find me a room nearby. Not Joseph and Mary. After the long journey from Nazareth, they lodged with the animals, grateful for a resting place. There in the least expected setting, Jesus was born.
- Prayer : Lord Jesus, I won’t reject You. I’ve made room for You in my heart. Amen.
- Devotion by Violet Carr Moore
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manager; because there was no room for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7 Holy Bible King James Version).
No glitter or tinsel, no brightly wrapped gifts or holiday cookies greeted Jesus. Absent of a warm baby blanket, Jesus was wrapped in cloth strips and laid in a manger. The original Christmas in a cold stable was simple with no celebration, yet no other day will impact all humanity as did that first Christmas when Jesus was born in Bethlehem.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, during this time of Christmas celebration I will remember how You were born so long ago in a humble setting. I won’t be concerned about the grandeur of my holiday decorations or the quantity and value of gifts I might receive. I will focus on being thankful that Your humble birth – a gift of love to me – is the greatest gift I will ever receive. Amen.