The many candles, lights, celebrations, gifts, delicacies, that are part of the Christmas Season – make me forget that the birth of Jesus was rather sub-ideal.

Mary 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.

Luke 2:7

Did you know that the word manger used to mean wickerwork? In the old German language, it meant a woven feeding trough for animals. Later, when the troughs were made of wood or stone, people still said crib to it.

But why was Jesus laid in such an unworthy manger? Quite sub-ideal for a newborn. In our Bible verse above it says: “… For in the hostels they had found no place. When it says, “they had not found a place”, it shows that at another time when there wasn’t a referendum going on, things could have been very different. 

As normal as the birth of Jesus may have been, the circumstances are not ideal. This first Christmas happens in the middle of normal, human, messy everyday life.

What situation is rather not ideal in your life? This is exactly where God wants to come to you.

Bible text: Luke 2:1-7