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The Manger At The Thrift Shop
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:7 NKJV
“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2 14 NKJV
The story begins with one of my daughters-in-law in a thrift shop finding a small manger scene or creche for $3.00.
All excited, she made the purchase for their home and soon began unpacking the figurines in front of her fireplace hearth .
One by one, she put them in place.
Then she realized she couldn’t find the Baby Jesus.
She reshuffled the newspaper pages that wrapped the figurines.
Nothing.
No Baby Jesus to be found.
Fortunately, she had a talented friend who made such things and offered to give her one of her several figures of Baby Jesus.
“What size Jesus do you want?”
her friend asked.
“Very small,” my daughter in law, Lindsey replied.
The friend showed her several of her options. The first Jesus was, in fact, far too small. The second attempt was toddler sized.
“No,” she said, “sorry, he needs to be smaller than the second, but bigger than the first. He must be contained in this little manager.”
At last, such a Jesus was produced and put in the manger.
It was at our family Christmas gathering that this story emerged.
It was mentioned that as long as we had Jesus in our Hearts, having a figure of Jesus in the manger was not so important.
A number commented on the manger, and soon the topic changed to the potluck dinner at hand.
—
I thought about the missing Jesus all over again after the party was over.
Jesus was in many places while He was here in the flesh.
He was in a manger.
He learned in Joseph’s carpenter’s shop as a boy.
Our Savior taught many from the hillsides of the Holy Land.
He was often on His knees in prayer.
Miraculously, He walked on water.
He healed the infirm.
He spent time holding babies and blessing children.
Jesus died for you and me on the cross.
Jesus Christ our King rose from the grave.
HE IS RISEN FROM THE DEAD!!!
He Ascended.
All these things prove He came and fulfilled His mission to save the people from their sins, from yours, from mine.
Therefore, the question is not so much where Jesus WAS, but if He IS in your heart now and forever?
The question is where YOU keep Him?
Do you try to find a Jesus that is small enough not to bother your choices, and daily decisions?
Is Jesus filling your heart and mind and soul and changing you to be the person that God created you to be?
Do you want to serve your Jesus with all of your heart, and life?
Is all made new, as it can be with Him truly in your life?
Do you realize that HE is the most important of all your decisions, of all of your life for now and Eternity?
Is Jesus in YOUR HEART?
Is HE filling ALL of YOUR HEART because He has not been pushed into the small, manger in the far corner of your life and attention?
May you think of these things, as I did this Christmas.
May Jesus come out of a confining manger, to be ALL that HE is meant to be in your HEART.
FOREVERMORE, HE IS KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!!!