The Real Story

Luke 2:6-21

It is very dangerous to second-guess God, and yet it is done everyday by multitudes of people all over the world.  The prophet Isaiah speaking for God said, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways.”  This is the Lord’s declaration.  “For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”  To second-guess God our Creator makes about as much sense as a person worshiping an image they made with their own hands.  With that stated, my mind often goes to how different you and I would do things if we were God, and aren’t you glad your not?

But let’s be foolish for a few moments and put ourselves in the role of God; Yes, I love the people I created, and yes they rebelled and chose self rule over my rule, so I’m going to send my Son to awaken them to how foolish they have been.  Now if my Son is going to step our of heaven where He is worshiped and go to earth, I will allow Him to be born of a woman for sin is only passed on from the man.  When He is born I will arrange all the leaders of the world and all the religious leaders to come to Jerusalem for his birth.  I will put into the heart of King Herod to build a special wing on the palace for His birth with the best of doctors to assist the Virgin Mary and her husband with childcare.  Angels will come to these leaders and religious dudes and blow them away with the magnitude of what I’ve done.

But then, I remember that I am just dust, dust God has breathed life into, and I recall the words from Isaiah 55:8-9, and I marvel at the wisdom of my God.  So let us look at the real story told by Doctor Luke; “And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.”  (Luke 2:6-20)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice