Lately, I’ve been thinking about how tiny Christ was when he came to this world.  How small and fragile.  I can’t get it off my mind.  Michael W. Smith’s lyrics seem to capture some of what I’m feeling this Christmas season.  

Tears are falling, hearts are breaking

How we need to hear from God

You’ve been promised, we’ve been waiting

Welcome Holy Child

Welcome Holy Child

Hope that you don’t mind our manger

How I wish we would have known

But long awaited Holy Stranger

Make yourself at home

Please make yourself at home

Bring your peace into our violence

Bid our hungry souls be filled

Word now breaking Heaven’s silence

Welcome to our world

Welcome to our world

Fragile finger sent to heal us

Tender brow prepared for thorn

Tiny heart whose blood will save us

Unto us is born

Unto us is born

So wrap our injured flesh around You

Breathe our air and walk our sod

Rob our sin and make us holy

Perfect Son of God

Perfect Son of God

Welcome to our world

He was born in an obscure village

The child of a peasant woman

He grew up in another obscure village

Where he worked in a carpenter shop

Until he was thirty

He never wrote a book

He never held an office

He never went to college

He never visited a big city

He never travelled more than two hundred miles

From the place where he was born

He did none of the things

Usually associated with greatness

He had no credentials but himself

He was only thirty-three

His friends ran away

One of them denied him

He was turned over to his enemies

And went through the mockery of a trial

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves

While dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing

The only property he had on earth

When he was dead

He was laid in a borrowed grave

Through the pity of a friend

Twenty centuries have come and gone

And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race

And the leader of mankind’s progress

All the armies that have ever marched

All the navies that have ever sailed

All the parliaments that have ever sat

All the kings that ever reigned put together

Have not affected the life of mankind on earth

As powerfully as that one solitary life

Attributed to James Allen Francis

A few years ago, my pastor pointed out that Jesus was most likely born in a cave, not a stable with sweet smelling hay.  

A dark and dirty cave.  Cold, and smelling of sheep manure.  The manger was not a quaint wooden crib, but a gutted out rock.

No place for the Savior of the World.  Or was it?

There are no coincidences with God.  Allowing Himself to be born here in the form of flesh was the whole point.  

Pastor Todd guided us through all the Old Testament biblical references to caves, so that we could find a theme.

Whenever caves were mentioned, the three common themes were:

• Fear
• Death
• Broken Relationships

If you think about it, what better place for the Light of the World to be born!

The prophet Isaiah foretold a time coming when the Messiah would deliver God’s people:

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Isa. 9:2, The Message).

Is your life dark and cold?  Do you have fear?  Are you facing illness or death?  How are your relationships?  If they are not what you hoped for, what a perfect place for Christ to enter the picture…

If you draw near to him, he’ll draw near to you (James 4:8)

He will never leave or forsake you (Deut. 31:6, Heb. 13:5)

If you humble yourself, he’ll lift you up (James 4:10)

If you need rest, he’ll provide it (Matt. 11:28)

If you need strength from the evil one, he will supply it (2 Thes. 3:3)

He won’t let you be tempted beyond what you can handle (I Cor. 10:13)

What you sow in tears, you’ll reap in joy (Ps. 126: 5-6)

 “For today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”