Luke 2:4-7 (NIV) “So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
Why is it that the Lord was born in a mess? We tend to focus on the stable as being the most unlikely of places for a child, let alone a king, to be born, but we forget that the whole world that he was born into was a mess. The King of kings and Lord of lords, the holy and pure God Almighty, was born into the mess of sin which in every way was and is much worse than any pile of manure. Why is it that the Lord was so unconcerned about the mess? The Bible records one tiny mention of the manger but tells us about a multitude of angels, and shepherds and wise men and prophets who gave glory to God for the birth of Jesus! We may spend so much time focusing on our messes, our sins, our hang-ups that we don’t realize that the Lord is not put out by a mess! He knows full well what life is like on earth. He knows our hearts far better than we do ourselves, and He still chooses to be with us. “’The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ – which means, ‘God with us.’” (Matthew 1:23)
What can we do that will be good enough to clean up for a visit from the King of the universe? There is nothing. Unfortunately, our eyes, our focus is on the mess instead of the glory so very often. What are we to do? Rather than focusing on the mess of our own lives and the lives of others, let us focus on the glory of the Lord. Let’s lift our eyes and our hearts off of the weight of sin and the effects of sin and be transformed as our vision is filled with His glory. This doesn’t mean that we ignore sin or the effects of sin. It doesn’t mean that we don’t correct bad behavior. It simply means that we should recognize the movement of God in the earth rather than be so quick to hang out in the manure. Instead of criticizing other believers who don’t measure up to our standards, let us recognize the good work that God is doing in them. Let us see the glory of God, however faint, pushing, working, exerting its influence and effect in their lives. It’s so easy to get put off by the mess. Instead we need to be like Jesus and jump into the messes of life in order to spread the glory of God around. Instead of being repulsed by the attitudes and actions of those who don’t know Christ, let us understand that the Lord himself sends us out just like he was sent – into the mess. We have good news! I encourage you to read out loud these words from Isaiah and to seek out the messes in which God has called you to shine His glory.
“Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.”
Isaiah 60:1-3
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