He
Was Wrapped in Cloths
Luke 2:7
She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him
snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no
lodging available for them.
Read it again: pieces of cloth and a feeding trough? This is the
New Living Translation version of one of the most familiar scripture passages
in the Bible. Not quite the way you recall the story? What happened to the
soft, swaddling clothes and the quaint little manger? It’s easy for us to
sanitize the reality of the situation, and thereby remove some of the irony.
But the fact of the matter is the Saviour of Mankind, the King of kings and
Lord of lords, was wrapped in rags and set to rest in a dirty trough, used to
feed cows.
Why would a mother allow this for her child? She had no choice;
there was no other place for them to stay. Perhaps a better question to ask
would be why our Heavenly Father would permit His Child to be treated in such a
manner? Well, in addition to prophecy being fulfilled, maybe God knew that His
Child had to experience humanity. He needed to know what it was like to be
homeless, helpless, and in poverty. Later, He needed to understand hunger, the
death of loved ones, persecution, and even death itself. Jesus needed to
experience mankind, as He came to die for mankind.
Jesus experienced incredible highs and the devastating lows so
that He could meet us where we are. No matter what you’ve been through, what
baggage you carry, or scars you bear, Jesus understands. This Christmas, let
Jesus heal your hearts and set you free from the pain and shame of sin. It’s
the reason He was born. It’s the reason we celebrate. It’s the real meaning of
Christmas!