I came across this poem, written by Ann Voskamp and fell in love with it:
The Night When Love Was Born Christ the babe comes in Christmas
as Christ the Savior comes on the cross seeking only our love and embrace.
The mystery so large becomes the babe so small and infinite God becomes infant.
And if there is no cross in my Christmas, then my Christmas has lost the ChristWhat is the manger if not for the Messiah, the One who saves us with the scars?
Christmas isn’t a product to wrap, but a person to unwrap. Christmas cannot be bought.
Christmas cannot be created. Christmas can not be made by hand.
Christmas can only be found in the creche, in the cradling trough, in the mire
and the stench and the unexpected and unlikely and only in the person of Jesus Christ.
The circumstances around Jesus’ birth were not the greatest. Think a moment about the dirty manger, the indifferent community of Bethlehem, the not-very-impressive first visitors after Jesus’ birth, the stinky, smelly animals and the list goes on….Jesus was not born into (as the world would call it), riches, cleanliness and wealth. He did not force his way into our world as the powerful King that He truly is. Instead, Jesus chose to enter the world in the humblest of ways. But He came to give hope and life to the sinner, the hopeless, the dirty, the stinky, the not very impressive people, just like you and me. Yes, I said it!! Of course, his humility did not stop there, for it led to the cross. Jesus himself said, “Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to be a servant – to offer His life as a ransom for others.” This Christmas, my prayer for all of us is that we would show Christ’s love to the hungry, to the thirsty, the sick, the dirty, those without hope or any type of direction in life, the unclothed and those who are completely forgotten. This is what love is all about! What an incredible way to worship Christ this Christmas! Have a blessed day and Christmas season!
Loving you always
Debbie Carr
Keep up the great writing Deb! Merry Christmas.