I was sitting in church last week, listening to our Pastor preach about Jesus' birth, and was thinking of how God looks beyond the things many of us hold high with value: money, fashions, gifts, success, comfort, popularity. I'll be the first one to admit that I desire these things and are thankful to have any of these sent my way. But, Pastor Dennis went on to explain how God surprises us with HIS choices of value. If you give it some thought, instead of choosing the most popular place for Jesus' birth, and the richest parents with a wealth of knowledge on parenting, and the most comfortable and accredited hospital for Mary to give birth in (with plenty of devices to ease the process); God chose some unexpected participants, located in a very remote area to be involved in the most meaningful event of history.
When God searched out the perfect earthly father for Jesus, it wasn't someone with the traits I first mentioned...it was a simple carpenter who did work with his hands, and had to have his pregnant partner travel by donkey, instead of by caravan.
God chose an earthly mother for Jesus that was not a queen, or someone who specialized in child bearing and raising, it was a virgin who wasn't even married yet.
The place for the birth wasn't the booming city of Jerusalem with lights and comotion on every corner, but instead a town off the beaten trail that had only a stable left for vacancy.
When God sent his angels to find greeters for Jesus, they went to look for some lonely shepherd far off from society who most likely smelt as the animals smelt.
Down to even the cradle...a manger! People nowdays would think it to be child abuse to put a child in something so "dirty" and full of "possible bacteria"!
Not at all what one would imagine for the birth of our Savior to be like. People tend to want attention drawn to things of importance, but God is the opposite. He let the event be simple and meaningful. No cameras, no video, no music, no lights, no Christmas tree....just God and a few earthly participants, enjoying the stillness of the night.
Many people think of Christmas nowdays as not being much if we don't have it full of family, friend, and work events loaded with entertainment and food. But really, whose BIRTH-day are we celebrating? If you happen to find yourself alone for any part of Christmas--don't think of yourself as being abandoned and lonely! Instead, look at it as some cherished time to spend with someone who was born into the world on a quiet night many, many years ago to live and die for you.
In Christ, Snack-N-Soul Sister
When God searched out the perfect earthly father for Jesus, it wasn't someone with the traits I first mentioned...it was a simple carpenter who did work with his hands, and had to have his pregnant partner travel by donkey, instead of by caravan.
God chose an earthly mother for Jesus that was not a queen, or someone who specialized in child bearing and raising, it was a virgin who wasn't even married yet.
The place for the birth wasn't the booming city of Jerusalem with lights and comotion on every corner, but instead a town off the beaten trail that had only a stable left for vacancy.
When God sent his angels to find greeters for Jesus, they went to look for some lonely shepherd far off from society who most likely smelt as the animals smelt.
Down to even the cradle...a manger! People nowdays would think it to be child abuse to put a child in something so "dirty" and full of "possible bacteria"!
Not at all what one would imagine for the birth of our Savior to be like. People tend to want attention drawn to things of importance, but God is the opposite. He let the event be simple and meaningful. No cameras, no video, no music, no lights, no Christmas tree....just God and a few earthly participants, enjoying the stillness of the night.
Many people think of Christmas nowdays as not being much if we don't have it full of family, friend, and work events loaded with entertainment and food. But really, whose BIRTH-day are we celebrating? If you happen to find yourself alone for any part of Christmas--don't think of yourself as being abandoned and lonely! Instead, look at it as some cherished time to spend with someone who was born into the world on a quiet night many, many years ago to live and die for you.
In Christ, Snack-N-Soul Sister
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