Away in a Manger...

Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down his sweet head
The stars in the sky
Look down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay

                                 Away in a Manger

In a barn… that’s where the treasure of heaven was born. In a place that smelled of animals… and he was laid in a manger as a crib. I wouldn’t chose to be born or have my child that way even as a ‘mere’ human… talk less of being God Himself, but He did. And then He filled up Nazareth as His state of origin on all those forms… Nazareth, the town that was despised as worth nothing… a disciple is quoted as saying “can anything good come out of Nazareth?”(John 1:46)

I’m glad He did… out of all the choices of palaces and wealth… He chose this washed out, unconventional and quite ridiculous way to make an entrance… A King of all kings, born in a barn, lay in a manger.

He was born in the lowliest of circumstances to show that in the lowliest of circumstances we find our selves in, He’s ready to come there and save us… no situation is too lowly for Him to intervene… to save or to deliver us from.

Because He did that, today, no matter how lowly we feel, we can welcome Him in… we are accepted as we are. No matter how messed up we feel, no matter how dirty our past choices make us feel. It doesn’t matter if we’ve never lied, or we breathe on lies. It doesn’t matter if we live in palaces or are homeless… however we are, He’s ready to come into our lives with no conditions and when He does, He transforms.

The manger, that lowly ol’ place became a destination place even to this day… people travel from all over the world to visit and stand in awe at what it stands for.

Wise men came with vast riches from far away countries, went through the king’s palace to bow at the King this manger held and present their treasures to Him. Glory came upon that barn... that manger, and it has gone down in history.

“Out of the eater came something to eat,
And out of the strong came something sweet. Judges 14:14

Out of something bitter, something sweet has come. Are you having a barn and manger experience? Are you so despised that people think nothing good can come out of you? Has the year been so ugly, dirty and unworthy for you that you conclude nothing good can ever come out of all you’ve been through? Can anything good come out of Nazareth?

Has your life been through so many backstreets of life, slept in alleys of depression and picked out food of truth from the trashcans of people’s judgment and rejection?

You, then my love are just the perfect landing for the King of glory. Jesus isn’t such a snob that He ignores you and fixes His attention on just those in the palace, on those on the mountains… He isn’t so out of touch that He wants nothing to do with those in the valley, those who are lost, struggling, in pain, those who it’s been concluded nothing good can ever come out of…. Remember, He came to the world in a mere barn (most likely smelling of animal dung), through a plain girl in Nazareth, a town seen as worth nothing… He laid His royal body in the manger that housed animal feed. You can’t be so bad… and even if you were, He’s willing to come and dwell in you… to dwell in your situation… to dwell in your dreams, your purpose, your life, your marriage… and your hopes…. And when He does… out of that bitterness is something so sweet emerging.

The barn became a center of attraction because heavens glory dwelled within it.

You will become the center of attraction because the glory of heaven has dwelt in you.

The wise men of the world are seeking you out and bringing gifts to you because they have seen what you hold within you. What the Christ in you has equipped you with.

All men seek Jesus (Mark 1:37) and they see Him in you… you are taken from the valley to the mountain top, and your light, the light of the King that has come is shinning in and on you and men are glorifying your Father I heaven, like the shepherds saw the glory in that barn and bowed before it glorifying the heavenly Father for the treasure the barn carried.

God is good. He loves you… He hasn’t forgotten you. Call on Him and He will hear you… your location or your shortcomings isn’t enough to keep Him at bay.

You weren’t born to remain in the backstreet, especially those who already have Christ in them… you can’t remain an ordinary barn or manger when Christ is in you… rise up from where you are. Allow Him to be who He is in you… yield to Him and shine baby shine.