My Manger Heart

This is probably the craziest week of the year for most of us.

Families, shopping, Christmas programs, Church, baking and everything else life throws our way.

As I found myself caught up in the chaos this weekend, I found myself pondering once again the question,

"Why a Manger? Why a dirty bed of hay?"

I've known the story of Jesus birth since I was a small child. Chances are you could recite the story just as well.

But over the years I've found myself pondering different aspects of that history changing night.
I'll never forget the first Christmas that I was a mother trying to wrap my head around what Mary went through in that stable. . so young. . .how did she do it. . .looking into my babies face and wondering how she looked at her baby and her Savior . . .was she as terrified as I was that she would do something wrong and break him?

But this year I've found myself think on the manger. ..a feeding trough for dirty stinky animals. Filled with hay. . .Have you ever smelled hay? Let's just say they aren't making a candle in that fragrance.

Yesterday as we watched a "Living Nativity", I found myself again thinking, "of all the places in the world, in Bethlehem, why that dirty, fifthly place?"

The answer that kept coming back to my heart was this, "Why not there? I came to dwell in your heart which was much more fifthly ."

It hit me like a ton of bricks.

Not that I don't know my heart can be black and cold and fifthly.

But, that in my desperate wondering of "Why, Why Why would you let your precious son be laid in such a vile and disgusting place?!", I am reminded once again that He came for the whole world and for me-me and my dirty heart.  That the manger of 2000 Christmas's ago would not be the dirtiest or ugliest place He would dwell. But, the heart of men and women who put their trust in and chose to follow Him.

Emmanuel. God with us.  With us in the cold, dark, dirty reaches of heart- not so we'll stay there in the dark, but so that we can walk in the Light.

Thank You for coming into a world that would only offer you a bed of hay. Thank you for reminding me that I am no better.

Thank you for changing that dirty, vile place of my heart and making it clean as only you can.