Unto Us

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6 ESV)

“The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us; we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV)

Jesus.

My Savior.

My LORD.

My King.

There aren’t enough words in the English language to convey what Jesus means to me.

He entered this fallen world as a baby with His eyes fixed on the cross.

God wrapped in human flesh. The very thought overwhelms me.

He came as a servant, born in a barn, with a feeding trough in which to lay His head.

He grew up a carpenter but all the while knowing His greatest purpose lie ahead.

He was sinless as He walked this earth; both fully God and fully man.

He willingly laid down His life so mine could be eternally saved.

He took my punishment and, in return, has clothed me in His righteousness.

Something I could not earn nor do I even deserve.

What an amazing and incomprehensible love He has lavished upon me.

How do I even begin to say thank you?

He is constant, faithful, and true.

Even when I am not.

I am overwhelmed by His infinite mercy and amazing grace.

I love Christmas.

Although Jesus was most likely born in the Spring, we celebrate His birth at Christmas. To me, the timeframe doesn’t matter as much because I celebrate His birth every single day!

A few weeks ago, my daughter shared a Facebook post with me she had seen in her feed. In it were facts surrounding the birth of Jesus I had never heard before. Reading the words just reaffirmed my belief that God is very much in the details.

The Manger Lamb ~ by Brent Hanson

God is in the details. Amazingly so!

A manger is a feed trough and in ancient Israel, and still in the Middle East, they’re made of stone.

If needed, they can be a protective basinet, and they were.

The priests of Bethlehem would place certain lambs in them.

Not all lambs; just those that were without blemish and suitable for sacrifice, for the sins of the people.

These were the lambs Bethlehem was known for.

Near the hills, there was a tower name “Migdal Eder” and the flocks near there produced lambs specifically for sacrifice.

When the time neared, priests chose male lambs for sacrifice, those without blemish.

To protect the lamb for sacrifice, a priest would wrap the lamb snuggly in cloth.

Then he’d lay the swaddled lamb in a stone manger until the time came.

The word “manger” is mentioned once in the account of Jesus’ birth (in Luke). Now all of the above details should make sense to you.

However, on that night long ago, there was only a small group of people who would understand its significance.

Those who heard the words, “You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloth, and lying in a manger.”

The shepherds! The Bethlehem shepherds of the sacrificial flock.

These shepherds knew what the swaddling cloth and manger meant.

“This will be a sign unto you,” the angel said. And it was.

It wouldn’t have been a sign to many. But to those shepherds, most definitely! This one detail is staggering.

The long awaited Messiah wasn’t born to a king’s palace.

No, the “Lamb of God” was found swaddled in a stone manger, destined for sacrifice.

“Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners, reconciled.”

~ Luke 2:11-14 (KJV) ~

“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

I have read the account of Jesus’ birth in the gospel of Luke my entire life and, until now, have never known the significance of the words spoken by the angel. I just took them at face value because God’s word is inerrant and Jesus was, indeed, found in a manger by the shepherds.

But it’s so much deeper than that. Never again will I read about the birth of Jesus in the same way. God has revealed just a little bit more of who He is and how much He loves and I am undone.

I am so thankful God is in the details.

Jesus, the unblemished Lamb of God, wrapped in swaddling cloth, laid in a manger, born for sacrifice.

I am so thankful God sent His one and only Son…

Unto us.