Day 24 - The Manger Scene

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14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 (NIV)

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So our journey is coming to an end. Today, we find ourselves at Christmas Eve. Just for a moment, I want us to think about the manger. The place where animals ate their food. A place that was dirty. A manger that was probably broken and in deep need for repair. A manger, that was only ever meant for feeding animals and yet this is where the Son of God was placed when He was born. Just think about that for a second. The Saviour of the world came into the world He was going to save, in the middle of a stable, where the only place they could lay Him down was a manger. The 'Word became flesh' and we had no room.

I want us to think more about the manger. There was nothing special about that manger. It was a perfectly ordinary manger. But one night, God used it to place His Son in. People came. The shepherds, the wise men, the angels. All came to worship the newborn King. The thing we often forget about though, is time went on. Those that had travelled, left. Mary, Joseph and Jesus, all left. But left behind, resuming its ordinary function, the manger. For one night, it became an extraordinary manger. God used a dirty, old, probably broken manger, so that He could go about the greatest love story ever told. I wonder what it must have been like that first Christmas all those years ago?

Sometimes, we can feel like the manger - dirty, old, broken and perfectly ordinary. But you see, God still uses us all the same. If we let Him, He turns the symbols of lowliness into symbols of His extraordinary Love. So the question this manger scene, is will you let Him use your ordinary life for His extraordinary plan?

Reflect today: What can you do on this final day of preparation to help others to prepare for the coming of Christ? What things are in your life that hold you back from living out His extraordinary plan for your life? Maybe today bring them to Him and give it all to Him.

Dear Lord,

I find myself at your feet again. Please help me to take the message of Christmas and apply to my life and show your love to all those around me. Please help me to use today to further prepare for the coming of Christ. I pray for all these things through the name of Jesus, who comes to save us all.

Amen