December 16, 2009

^{Wednesday, December 16, 2009}

^{The Manger}

^{Scripture Reading}

^{Luke 2:6-7 (HCSB) 6 While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the inn.}

^Devotion

^{The maternity ward of a hospital is a strange thing. Everywhere else you go in a hospital, there is sickness and suffering, but most of what goes on in the maternity ward is excitement and joy!}

^{Jesus, of course was not born in a hospital. Jesus was born in stable. He was placed in a feeding trough. We call it a manger. Imagine. Jesus. Son of God. King of kings. Lord of lords. Placed in a rough hewn wooden crate used to place food for animals. Crazy. Sometimes our frail human minds want to ask things like “What was God thinking?” I am reminded that as we study the character of God, we often forget that one characteristic of God is humility. We typically don’t see God as humble. But look at the manger. Philippians tells us that He humbled himself. James tells us that God gives grace to the humble and resists the proud.}

^{We should be like Jesus. We should be humble.}

^Questions

^{How are you doing in the humility department? (Be careful how you answer that - it might ruin it)}

^{How can you be more humble this Christmas?}

^Prayer

^{Jesus, help me to be humble like you. Amen.}

^Carol

^{“Away in a Manger”}

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