This Christmas I've been blessed in considering the great condescension of the Savior to be born as a baby, "wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." There is no human condition so weak and vulnerable as a newborn baby, is there? And not only that, but a child of the poor working class, with no worldly resources or position to give him any of the "extras" of life. They were hounded by taxation and made refugees by an evil king... certainly not ideal circumstances for anyone to be born into, let alone the Son of God. Jesus could have had a palace... servants... glory and honor. But He took that lowliest of places to show us something that was so much more profound and wonderful.
Do you see what I see in that manger bed? A baby resting peacefully, under the watchful care of the heavenly host. What all the world might consider neglect, poverty, distress and disgrace is the darkened background that reveals the glory of a life of perfect faith. When all the props and powers of our life are stripped away, the future looks grim, and human help has failed us... God is there. Not only has Jesus experienced it and understands how it feels, but it was the place Divinely appointed for Him to grow up in. "As a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground." In the difficult, yea, impossible circumstances. That's where Jesus grew up. Do you see how much the loving heart of God, our Father, can be trusted?
Sometimes it can be so easy to think "if only" and give ourselves an excuse for why we are fretful, worried, careworn... perhaps even depressed or despairing. But Jesus walked out in the fields and saw the love of His Father for the wild birds and flowers. He was just as cared for and He knew it. "Freely ye have received, freely give" was a keynote of His life. Do we praise the Giver and honor Him with our faith as we ought to? Jesus stripped himself of every rightful power and privilege to serve us. Did He live a beggar's life or bemoan the drudgery of His existence? No, rather He surprised people by His confidence, peace and joy. He lived as a Son of the Highest, revealing to us what that truly means. How about you and I?
A recent update from brother Lawrence shares his trust in God's providence for the needs, both physical and spiritual, that they continually face. After expressing the blessing of relying on God's promise to "go with thee, and... give thee rest" after the difficulties he's experienced this past year, he writes:
True to His promise, the Lord has blessed Makindu saints this year and has given them enough rains so far. The crops look very good and if only they get rains in the next week, there will be enough food for them until next season, judging from the wonderful crop in the farms now. Bro. Dominic Malonza and his wife, Jane, have been raised up by the Lord to take up the ministry here at Makindu, whereas my family has been preparing to go down to Malindi to settle there and minister to the coastal congregations that the Lord has set up. Malindi is central and will serve these congregations best. Please, pray that the Lord provides for us to settle down there. We are prayerfully waiting for His providence. We are praying that the Lord helps us to start a school there for our upkeep, and so that we could earn enough to build our residential house there. Please, pray with us for this need.... The burden for the coast is so heavy on my heart. My wife, too, is very burdened for them....
As tender plants, needing so much, let us look to the bountiful hand of our God and rest all our cares with Him.
