We can all describe the classic nativity scene. A baby laying in a manger wrapped in a blanket in a barn surrounded by his parents and animals and shepherds. The barn is dark and dingy. The floor is covered with straw and mud. That is a good image but I don’t think it is the real picture.

“and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”  Luke 2:7

That text notes there was no room for Joseph and Mary in the inn. The Greek term for inn is kataluma, which translates to guest room or caravansary; which means a place of lodging for traveling strangers. Only two places in the New Testament is the Greek word kataluma used – here in the birth story and the Last Supper narrative (Luke 22:11 and parallel passage Mark 14:14).

What is a manger? A manger is a feeding trough for animals. So, you find feeding troughs in the barn, right? In ancient Middle East cultures animals were not kept in a barn or left outside. The family animals were always kept inside the house, usually in a lower level from the main floor. This helped to protect them from theft, disease, weather. 

So what does all this mean? I think Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem only to find Joseph’s ancestral home full of people. They ended up in the lower level of the house and laid baby Jesus in the feeding trough because there was no room upstairs in the guest rooms. So, if Jesus was not born in a barn or a stable; crowded as it may have been, Jesus was likely instead born in a house, quite possibly the house Joseph grew up in, or at a minimum one of a relative. He began his life in a “lower room” of a kataluma and he ended his earthly ministry in the “upper room” of a kataluma. Coincidence?

I think a very powerful picture is painted. One of the Messiah King being born in a way that all could have access to Him. If He had been born in a castle or temple only the wealthy, the noble, or the religious could have access to Him. Instead, this Savior, born of humble parents in a humble and ordinary setting, offered access to all. He does the same thing today – no matter our circumstances our Savior is willing to enter into our “house” and be born in us. 

Dave’s note: I originally wrote this back in 2003 and every year re-post it in the days leading up to Christmas. Look for periodic posts for the rest of the year, as my injured brain continues to slowly re-wire and heal itself. I am also taking time away from daily writing to both rest and enjoy in the beauty of all that is around me.

If you are encouraged by this or any of my writings, you can subscribe to be notified by email when I post something new. To subscribe, click here. Once you put in your email address you will then get an email confirming that you wish to subscribe. Thank you.

      

This time of year, in the lobby of my workplace, you will find a beautifully decorated Christmas tree with neatly wrapped boxes underneath. There is one problem with those boxes, while they look pretty on the outside, they are simply empty boxes wrapped in colorful, ribbon and bows.

Oftentimes our lives are the same way – we look all pretty on the outside but on the inside, an entirely different story. You are busy and productive, maybe you seem to do and say all the right things, but inside that beautifully decorated box, you feel empty. You just don’t feel an intimacy with Jesus.

The word Advent means “coming,” and it is during Advent, the season between Thanksgiving and Christmas, that we expectantly await the coming of the Messiah. In Isaiah 7:14, the prophet foretells that a virgin will give birth to a son and call him Immanuel. In Matthew’s telling of the birth of Jesus (1:18-25), we find – “’She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us).

It is God dwelling with us that can turn emptiness into fullness, dullness into vibrancy, barren into lush. It is absolutely true that Jesus came to cleanse us of our sins and to restore our relationship with God, a relationship broken by sin. It is also just as true that in Jesus, God with us, your dry and parched soul can find refreshment (read John 4:1-26), and your emptiness can be filled. In John 10:10 we find these words of Jesus – “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

(It is important to note that “abundant” does not mean filled with all your wants and desires. Rather, it means an abounding fullness of joy, a peace knowing that God is with you, meeting your every need. An abundant life comes from following in God’s ways; being obedient and living in accordance with His will.)

So, in the remaining ten days leading up to Christmas, make it a priority to purposefully and expectantly await the coming of the One who fills your empty gift box: Immanuel, God with us!

Dave’s note: I have hit a temporary lull in terms of cognitive improvement. That is to be expected with brain injuries. Progress is not always easily measurable. It is not always steady. It is often slow. I am learning the skill of patience. I am doing all the things needed to improve my cognition, and it is gradually improving, but in the end, it is my brain that drives the bus. It heals itself in its own time frame. So, as I have been doing, I will continue to write as I am able. We thank you for your continuing support, encouragement, and prayers.

If you are encouraged by this or any of my writings, you can subscribe to be notified by email when I post something new. To subscribe, click here. Once you put in your email address you will then get an email confirming that you wish to subscribe. Thank you.

Not too long ago, the people used to promote products and services in television commercials were often not easily recognizable faces. But today, and it is certainly true during Christmas, many advertisers use “celebrity endorsements” to sell their products and services. The focus seems to have shifted from quality and affordability to using something because of who else uses it (or at least endorses it), thus in some way making those buy those products or services part of the “in” crowd.

While our culture uses the “high” to sell a message, God often uses the “low” to promote and advance His message. Sure, all throughout the pages of scripture there are stories of God using kings, rulers, priests, and famous people to “advertise” His kingdom, but those same pages are also full of accounts of people who held little or no status in society – tax collectors, fishermen, prostitutes, servants, widows, and even shepherds – being used by God in big ways. And if you are a follower of Jesus, while you might have committed your life to Him through the efforts of a well-known person, it is more likely that it occurred when someone not known by the world invested time and effort into you. That is certainly the case for me!

Today I want to quickly look at one such story of when God used the lowly to share the best news ever told. We will be looking in Luke 2 at the story of shepherds being used announce the birth of Jesus. What do we know about shepherds? Shepherds generally came from the base elements of society. They were on the lowest rung of the economic scale and had little of not formal education. Shepherds had no power or influence, they simply tended sheep.  It is also entirely possible that these shepherds who heard the angels singing were illiterate. Shepherds were also totally committed to their flock and would do anything, including risking life and limb, to care for and protect their sheep.

The story line in Luke 2 is that Jesus has been born and about that time an angel appeared to shepherds who were keeping watch over the flocks, simply doing their job. The angel announced that the Messiah has been born. These shepherds were very unlikely candidates to “advertise” this good news. Wouldn’t priests have been more credible since they were the well-known and well-connected religious people of their day? But the story tells us that these shepherds said to each other “Let’s go to Bethlehem to see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about (Luke 2:15).” So, they hurried off and saw the Baby Jesus and in verses 17-18 we read this, “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.      

So, here we have lowly shepherds, the bottom feeders of society, being used by God as the first to tell the world of the Messiah’s birth. He spoke through angels to lowly shepherds on a remote hillside outside a tiny Judean village. It didn’t seem a likely way to win the world, but God uses people like you and like me, just average “Joes” and “Janes” to share His good news with the world.

God wants to use you to promote His kingdom and His message, and you don’t need to be rich and famous or wise or well-educated. You and I just need to be willing and available! The gift of Christ is the best gift anyone will ever receive. Are you asking God to use you as He used those shepherds 2000 years ago?

The picture in this post is an oil painting by Thomas Cole is titled “The Angel Appearing to the Shepherds” and found in the public domain.

Dave’s Note: Writing is still challenging for me as I recover from my stroke, but it is also both therapeutic and something that gives me life, so I press on in healing and doing what I love!

If you are encouraged by this or any of my writings, you can subscribe to be notified by email when I post something new. To subscribe, click here. Once you put in your email address you will then get an email confirming that you wish to subscribe. Thank you.

Close your eyes for a minute and picture this. God has been tugging at your heart for some time. You sense Him calling you in some new direction, or maybe a new job, a new city, a new relationship, possibly even into ministry. You pray about it, mull it over, seek wise counsel from a friend or family member, pray about it some more, weigh all the pros and cons, and listen for God’s small still voice to confirm it. At first you were hesitant, it would mean some big (and scary) changes, but now you finally have your head and heart wrapped around the plan, and you are ready to “go for it”. You have a nice neat plan all laid out and it all begins to make sense to you.

But not so fast! Out of the blue, God changes the plan and instead of turning left at the next intersection as the plan seemed to indicate, He tells you to turn right. You find yourself saying – “Wait a minute God, that’s not what I signed up for. I signed up for (you fill in the blank here) and seemingly out of nowhere You are asking me to do something totally different. I’m not sure I really understand. I was ready for that other thing, but this, I’m not so sure.” You ever been there? I know I have.  

Now picture what Joseph must have felt like. In Gospel of Matthew we read that he was engaged to a young woman named Mary. One day she comes to him and tells him that even though she is still a virgin she is pregnant. And not only that, she tells Joseph that this son was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph likely said, “Yea right, and I am Santa Claus!” After hearing the news Joseph was making plans to divorce her but soon an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him it was all true and in Matthew 1:22-23 we read this – All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

The story goes on to tell us that “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and he took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And they gave him the name Jesus” (vv.24-25).

So, here we have Joseph with his nice neat plans for marriage and “living happily ever after” turned totally upside down when God first tells Mary, then Joseph, that they will be the parents of the Savior of the world. Talk about a change of plans!

How do you respond when God’s plan changes? When you go from ready to unprepared?    

Dave’s note – I am working by butt off to fully recover from my stroke. I am still not able to write every day but look forward to the day when I can.

If you are encouraged by this or any of my writings, you can subscribe to be notified by email when I post something new. To subscribe, click here. Once you put in your email address you will then get an email confirming that you wish to subscribe. Thank you

In the midst of your holiday busyness, are you making room for Jesus? For most of us, the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are filled with nonstop activities, we get busy, and we often end up “turning away” that which makes this season so joyous and beautiful.

In Luke’s telling of the birth of Jesus he tells us that Joseph and Mary were turned away when they were looking for a place for Jesus to be born. In Luke 2:7 we read, “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.” Older translations uses “inn” rather than “guest room.” The Greek word “kataluma” used for “inn/guest room” has several meanings; a guest room (as in a person’s home) or lodging place (as in a boarding house, hotel, or similar establishment). Have you ever wondered who it was that gave Joseph and Mary the “no vacancy” news? It could have been the proprietor of an ancient day bed-and-breakfast or it could have been the owner of a personal residence. Let’s just call this person an “innkeeper.”

If you know this story, then you know that Joseph and Mary were returning to Bethlehem to register for a census. It is likely that Bethlehem was bustling with people, all returning to take part in the census, so rooms would likely have been in high demand, filled with travelers. The “No Vacancy” sign probably hung in many lodging place windows. And when Joseph and Mary arrived looking for a place to give birth they were told by the “innkeeper” that there was just no room for them.

What caused this innkeeper to turn Joseph and Mary away? Maybe his “inn” was full, or maybe he was just preoccupied. He might have been busy with fixing meals, cleaning rooms, making beds, caring for animals, and providing for his family. All good and worthwhile activities. But he most likely saw that Mary was ready to give birth so couldn’t he have made some provision? There must have been some place he could have offered them. But the story tells us they were turned away and ended up in some lowly place that housed animals.  

What’s the point of all of this? We are like that at times, especially at Christmas. The rooms in our lives are filled, sometimes to overflow capacity. Our lives are consumed with activity – not necessarily sinful or bad activity, just things that keep us busy and often away from God. And when we are preoccupied, we miss the Christ of Christmas.

So, this Christmas season my challenge is for you to make room for Jesus at your inn and don’t be like the innkeeper in this story and say “sorry, no vacancy!” Don’t miss the Christ of Christmas!

Dave’s Note: I celebrate each victory, no matter how large or small, in my recovery from a stroke in early November. Today I celebrate the fact that my brain is beginning to re-wire itself in ways that make me feel more like me again. The road ahead is still long but with each step I get closer to the “new” person God will have me be!

If you are encouraged by this or any of my writings, you can subscribe to be notified by email when I post something new. To subscribe, click here. Once you put in your email address you will then get an email confirming that you wish to subscribe. Thank you.

Christmas is a wonderful time of year. A song written in 1963 by Edward Pola and George Wyle and popularized by singer Andy Williams tells us so. You know the song, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Not only does the song tell us that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, it also says “It’s the hap-happiest season of all.”

But the Christmas season can also be a very difficult time for some people. It could be that they’ve had a very challenging year financially. Or maybe they have some health issue that has worn them down, zapped their energy, created a future filled with uncertainty. Possibly a long-term relationship went sour and there is lingering pain or guilt from that ended relationship. Is someone new to your community, not having made many friends yet, therefore left off the neighborhood party invitation list? This season will be also hard for those who experienced the death of a loved one. There will be that sense of loneliness and sorrow, and those missing gifts and empty chairs make it no secret that life has changed.

We all know someone who would say that 2021 was “not the most wonderful of times.” In fact, that person might even say it downright stunk. I encourage you to come along side that person and simply be a friend. Your presence says to them, “I care.” Not only that, God can work through you to give that brokenhearted person a sense of encouragement. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Christmas, what better gift is there than to be a friend to someone who is hurting. The Bible tells us to do that very thing. In Galatians 6:2 we read this, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you fulfill the law of Christ.”

So, this Christmas Season, be a friend to someone, just maybe helping to make this the hap-happiest season of all for them.

Dave’s note: I continue to make progress in my recovery from a stroke and will keep writing as I am able.

If you are encouraged by this or any of my writings, you can subscribe to be notified by email when I post something new. To subscribe, click here. Once you put in your email address you will then get an email confirming that you wish to subscribe. Thank you.