Read Luke 2:1-7
The irony of the King of all creation born in a stable is too great to overlook. But, N.T. Wright says, “The manger isn’t important in itself. It’s a signpost, a pointing finger, to the identity and task of the baby boy who’s lying in it” (Luke for Everyone, p 22).
And who is the baby lying in the manger?
He is the Messiah, God Himself, wrapped in swaddling cloths. The One for whom John will prepare a way in the desert. The One who is chastised for eating with sinners and healing lepers. The One who will endure the agony of the cross for the joy set before Him. From the beginning, Jesus is humble and lowly, yet unimaginatively powerful.
In the book, Bright Evening Star: Mystery of the Incarnation, Madeline L'Engle describes the paradoxical reality of the Incarnation. She says, “Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, the Maker of all the galaxies, gave up all power so that this power might instead be human, mortal, finite, and that we might understand that this very humanness, mortality, finiteness, if we would only accept it, would be made divine, immortal and infinite by God in the fullness of time” (91).
Just as He said He would, God comes to dwell with us and draw us to himself in the person of Jesus. We are challenged to see and believe that this baby, who from the beginning has no place to lay his head, is the One we have been longing for. The Son of Man with “no appearance that we should desire him” and “held in low esteem,” is the One through whom the heavens and the earth will be made new (Isaiah 53).
“But the baby in her womb
He was the maker of the moon
He was the author of the faith
That could make the mountains move.”
This is a difficult story to believe when the world calls the wrong things infinite and divine. We are tempted to believe the loud, shiny, and popular things are of greater value. But the story of the Bible teaches us the opposite. Truly, truly all of history turns on Jesus who was born in a stable and died on a cross.
Therefore, we can embrace simplicity by embracing the humble humanity of our King and by doing the will of God who sent Him.
Listen to Andrew Peterson's song, "Labor of Love" and share your thoughts in the comments below!
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