Focus: Laid In A Manger

Text: Lk.2:7

"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."

What an irony that Jesus, the maker and master of the universe would be born in the commonest of places! Not only that, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, which was the kind of clothes in which the dead were buried. His death was already signified by His birth. Imagine the child Jesus inside of death-clothes! Jesus was the only man in history who was born to die. His birth means nothing without His death. His death was the reason for His birth.

One point to note is that those who have no regard for Christ do so for lack of insight. O how they acted in ignorance towards Jesus! O what we do in ignorance! They didn't know He was the creator and governor of the ends of the earth - the one who spoke, and it was done, and who commanded, and it stood still. They didn't know that the baby in the womb of poor Mary was indeed the Messiah of Israel and the long awaited Redeemer of His people. They were too busy to catch a glimpse of heaven in Mary's womb. Their minds could not perceive that in that womb was God in bodily form. Someone said of Him, "Jesus Christ —
He made each star and galaxy.
His birth fulfilled each prophecy.
His power made the blind to see.
His sacrifice set people free.
His resurrection proved to be
the turning point of history."

Yet, they had no room for Him in the inn.

A lot of people around you fail to see that inside little and ordinary you dwells the Big God of the universe. They conclude over your life by looking at the externals alone. Life is much more than what the eyes see on the periphery.

Here is another point to see! Luke reports, "And this shall be a SIGN unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, LYING IN A MANGER… And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe LYING IN A MANGER" (Lk.2:12,16). Do you see how God works? The very manger where Christ was laid becomes a sign given to the shepherds for them to identify Him. Hear me, the manger is not your manacle, but your marker. Your manger marks you out. God uses the lowly places of life to mark us out and make our story unique.

One more point to note: In Matthew 2:11, we read, "And when they were come into the HOUSE, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him…" The manger was not His first and last place in life. From a manger they moved into a house. As they say, it's never over until it's over. Your story will not start and end in the manger. Yes, your life will not end where it started! You will surely advance. God will make sure of that. From a manger you will move into a house. Life may have you lying in a manger now, but you will in due season live in a mansion. Be forward-looking and forward-moving. Life will get better for you. Today, the story has changed for Jesus Christ. He is no longer lying in a manger; He is right now sitting at the right hand of the Father, wrapped and basking in everlasting glory.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter