Reflections: Christ is Born in a Manger?

So yesterday the Christmas program I wrote and directed for my church was performed. I can't begin to describe how the Lord worked in and through this program. Every emergency revealed His presence. In every mishap He was there. Every awesome thing that happened gave glory to Him. Each actor, child, parent, crew person, etc. involved was a testimony to the goodness of God. I am so grateful to the Lord for allowing me to go through the challenge, trial, and blessing of directing my church Christmas program this year. Had I known in advance the amount of work and stress this experience was going to be for me I probably wouldn't have chosen to do it. But God, in His goodness, knew exactly what was right for me. He had me do it, knowing the frustration that I would face, because He had a greater purpose that I can't begin to understand. I might never know until I reach heaven. Don't get me wrong, the program was amazing. And the process wasn't that bad. It just wasn't what I expected or "planned" when I first agreed to take on the project.

This makes me think about the birth of Jesus. The Jewish people knew He would one day come, but they never expected that He would come in the way He did. If we really think about the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, they make no sense.

God came as a baby. Why not just appear in the world as an adult and start the ministry from there? Why make a godly and pure woman go through the pain of child birth and the humiliation of being an unwed mother? I'm sure she told others she was a virgin but you know how people are - we love to gossip about scandals. And would they have had any reason to believe her? Up until this point virgin births were an impossibility. Also (ladies, you can relate to this), she was engaged to be married when God made her pregnant. She probably was looking forward to becoming a loving wife, and now she had to tell her husband-to-be that she was pregnant. Joseph was planning on breaking up with her before the angel spoke to him in a dream. How devastating would that have been for Mary? Yet, this is how God chose to come to earth.
Then, Jesus, the King of the Jews, the Mighty Ruler, The Holy One, was born.....in a stable. Why did God have Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem right when it was close to the time for Jesus to be born? What a difficult trip that must have been for both of them. Then when they actually reached Bethlehem, God did not provide a comfortable bed and room for them, but instead allowed all the rooms to be full in the Inn so that they had to go to a stable. What an uncomfortable and dirty place to have a baby in. So the savior of the world was born in a barn.
Then, to announce the good news of the Savior's birth God sent a whole crowd of angels to shepherds out in a field. Why didn't He send the angels to the whole town of Bethlehem? Why weren't there angels all over the place in Jerusalem also, letting the Jews know that Christ was here? Why tell some shepherds outside of town and then have the shepherds tell the townspeople of Jerusalem? What a strange way for God to celebrate the birth of His Son.
One more thing. Wisemen from far away in the east followed a star to go to see Jesus? How did they first see this star and realize it was a beacon from God and that it would lead them to the Savior? Why in the world would God bring people from that far away to see Jesus but not the wisemen from close by? And their communication with King Herod brought about the death of many infants in the town of Bethlehem. A joyous birth caused the death of many.

All the events surrounding the birth of Jesus don't make much sense in my mind. And yet they all testify to the goodness of God. After all, God did say, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 55:8) When I reflect on Christmas and the birth of the Savior this is something I want to take away from all the Christmas programs, dinners, celebrations, and candlelight services. The life of Christ from birth to death to resurrection is a reminder that it's not about my ways, but it's all about God's ways.