I often hear the opening words of the charming Christmas carol “Away in a Manger” as “A Way in a Manger.” It brings me a sense of wonder, and I am reminded of Jesus’ declaration: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (Jn 14:6)
That our eternal God chose to take on human flesh is amazing enough. But it is absolutely mind-boggling that on a cold evening two thousand years ago the Majestic One was laid in a manger, a trough for feeding the animals! And yet how fitting. The animals didn’t fill their own mangers with food; someone else did that for them. It was a kind of gift to them. And so the “Bread of Life,” came–and comes even today–as a gift…to fill the empty mangers of our lives.
Lord Jesus, I’m sure you could have chosen some other way, but this is the way you chose, a way that led you to a manger and ultimately to a cross. Help us daily to look for you. Help me to seek you in the reality of my life–in the hard times as well as they easy times, so that I may learn better to follow You and the one true Way. A-men.
Merry Christmas, everyone. :-)