Dec.11 - Out of the manger
Contributed by
Carla Friesen Weldy, associate director of alumni and parent relations on Tuesday December 11
Scripture
Isaiah 35:1-10 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, "Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you."
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God's people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
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Devotion
This October, I heard something that struck me as utterly profound: don't leave Jesus in the manger this Christmas season.
At first, I was confused about the meaning of the phrase. But the more I pondered on it, the more it began to make sense. If we think of Jesus primarily as a helpless babe in the manger, our faith cannot grow. It is only when we "take" Him out of the manger and make Him a part of our everyday lives that our faith can mature. About 700 years before Christ came to earth in a stable in Bethlehem, Isaiah foretold what would happen when Jesus the man, the Son of God, walked the earth: "Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy." This compassionate Jesus who heals, who looks beyond the external and beyond cultural boundaries, is the One we need to model our lives after.
Isaiah also foretold Christ's second coming. Jesus "will come with vengeance, with divine retribution," and will tolerate evil no more. He will save those who walk in the "Way of Holiness," and there will be no more sorrow or sighing or tears. This glorified Jesus who saves, who redeems and ransoms us, is also the Lord we need to embrace, in addition to the innocent cherub of the Advent season.
Don't leave Jesus in the manger this Christmas season.
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