July 15 It Was for You

Luke 2:12-14 “This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
 
DO you ever wonder why God, the eternal Father, the Creator of the universe, the one who has made majestic mountains and one-cell animals would have his very own Son born in a manger?
     I’ve been around mangers. They’re dirty. Animals drool into a manger. Sometimes feed gets moldy in a manger. Who knows what bacteria and other disease-bearing organisms live there? Oh, God, couldn’t you at least have opened a room in the crowded inn for your own Son?
     Actually, you could ask a number of “why questions” about Jesus’ life couldn’t you. And likely you have. For example, you could ask, “Why was he born into lower-class working family? Why did he wait until he was 30 to begin ministering? Why did people hate him so? Why did they kill him?”  
     Based on God’s Word revealed in the entire Bible, I believe the Father’s answer would be something like this: “Why, you ask, did I allow My Son to have such a hard birth and laborious life? Why would I even allow him to die? The reason is you. Yes, all was for you, my child. You see, my Son is my gift to you. I wanted to show you how much I love you as I sent my Son from his glorious existence in Heaven to the lowliest place on earth. I wanted to show you real humility, so that you would be submissive to let my words teach you. You would be humbled, too, as you realize my love causes me to go to great lengths to bring you to my eternal home.
     “Doing physical work as a man, my Son knows what work is like for you. He can understand your frustrations. He knows how much you need hope in your life. My Son’s life amid human sin also demonstrated his saving perfection. He resisted sin. As a result, Jesus is the only perfect one who could pay the full price of your sin. Yes, in my love for you, my Son’s life and death opened the doorway to bring my own home with me forever.
     “This is all for you, my child. I am a God who walks with you everywhere, even when it stinks, when it’s uncomfortable and when it’s deadly. My Son has experienced all things human. Trust him, and turn to him. When you do, we – me, my Son, Spirit and you – will joyously live together forever in the glory the shepherds saw that night near Bethlehem.”
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for giving your Son to the world, so the world can go to you. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.