Nesting, in a Stable?

John 2:6-7—While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

I don’t know any woman who would opt to give birth in a stable.  They aren’t the cleanest of places, the smells are unpleasant, and there are no beds.  But a stable is exactly where Mary gave birth to our Savior.  Can you imagine how she and Joseph must have felt?  Even in our modern age, doctors don’t allow women to travel late in pregnancy.  And here she was making a journey on a donkey right before she was due to give birth.  Aside from that, they had no hotel reservations—hotels didn’t even really exist back then.  So there was great uncertainty the entire way to Bethlehem about where they would stay.  Then, upon their arrival, there was no room anywhere.  The only place anyone would offer them was a stable full of animals.  What tremendous faith this couple must have had.  Here came the world, imposing on them this trip so they could register for the census.  The world created a terrible inconvenience, but the entire time Joseph and Mary obeyed.  Their ability to trust God to resolve all and meet every need was steadfast.  And God did just that—He revealed the miracle of life, the miracle of salvation, in the least miraculous of places. The manger, a feeding trough, is emblematic of how God seeks us in our lowest places. He doesn’t tower over us, distantly commanding us.  He joins us where we are.  He came to serve knowing He would experience the lowest of lows, beginning even with His birth.

Today as you pray and meditate on His Word, rejoice in the miracle of Jesus’ birth.  Thank God for the brilliance of His plan to join us in our lowest places.  Praise Him as the God of relationship who would go to any measure just to know you.