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| By Ianpasion Photo credit: washington.com |
I was so busy in the past few days, but today I have some time to write about my reflection on the Father's love revealed at the place where the Son was born.
You might ask, what is new about the birth of the Son? It is a kindergarten story. Whatever possible reasons you have, allow me to simply elaborate on three important things about the Father's love through the birth of His Son. It is a fact that Christmas history began with the story of the Son 2,000 years ago when Rome was still in power. Some might deny this fact, but history tells us that there was a baby wrapped and placed in a manger.
The Father demonstrated His first act of love in the Gospel stories by allowing His Son to be delivered in a stable - a place where animals are kept. It was unusual. However, The Father would not allow it without a purpose. The Son of the Almighty was placed and found by the shepherds in a manger - a wooden box that keeps grass for animals' food. Animals can come and eat in a manger whenever they feel hungry.
He can fill us when we are empty, He can satisfy us whenever we don't feel enough, He can restore us when we are weak, He can heal us when we are wounded, and He encourages us when we start losing hope. He is the Jehovah Jireh – the Provider. The only condition is we need to come and dine.
It signifies that like these animals in the stable, we can come to the Father anytime whenever we are hungry or in need.
He can fill us when we are empty, He can satisfy us whenever we don't feel enough, He can restore us when we are weak, He can heal us when we are wounded, and He encourages us when we start losing hope. He is the Jehovah Jireh – the Provider. The only condition is we need to come and dine.
Second, I was reflecting on the significance of the Son's birthplace. He had a manger as his first bed. His parents decided to place Him there, rather than just to place Him on the ground. But for Marry, it was a very difficult moment as there was no bed inside the stable where she could deliver the Son in a comfortable position. She labored with her husband as her doctor, and her first visitors were the sheep, cows, and goats. This whole scenario tells us the Father's unconditional love. His Son was not born in the most expensive hospital or in the royal palace although He could in order to lay a good example of what true love is. He could be in every level of individuals in our society- poor or rich. His love can change a lowly place into a great place. His love is not selective, everyone is loved by Him. Even the lowest caste in our society can experience His love. He could be with people who are deprived or abandoned. He loves everyone.
Lastly, the story about the birth of the Son tells us the importance of having an inner value. It is a paradox that the Father's love could begin in the ordinary birthplace. Practically, in this modern world, with the help of health care; no parents would allow delivering their baby in the smelly stable or barn. The Son's birth and His death are parallel. Both tell His humiliation. However, the Son did not complain. He knew His inner value. Like gold, wherever you place it is still gold. Keeping this in mind, our true value is not on what we have, but it is on who we are. We are the child of the Almighty Father.
So if we know who we are, and our relationship with the Father is bond with His unconditional love, then we are never insecure by what others' have owned or achieved. We stop performing for approval. If we believed we are unconditionally loved by the Father, then there is nothing that can make us feel less or small. Others may conclude that we are unsuccessful and pitiful because of our lowly status, but it is not the real us. See the baby Son in the manger. He was like a precious in the mud. We have the blood of the champion in us. We have His DNA, the DNA of our heavenly Father- Divine Nature of Abba. Therefore, when negative thoughts start disabling us, keep reminding ourselves of who we are. We are the children of our heavenly Father.
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
The Son did not need to elevate Himself for approval. He is already accepted.
So if we know who we are, and our relationship with the Father is bond with His unconditional love, then we are never insecure by what others' have owned or achieved. We stop performing for approval. If we believed we are unconditionally loved by the Father, then there is nothing that can make us feel less or small. Others may conclude that we are unsuccessful and pitiful because of our lowly status, but it is not the real us. See the baby Son in the manger. He was like a precious in the mud. We have the blood of the champion in us. We have His DNA, the DNA of our heavenly Father- Divine Nature of Abba. Therefore, when negative thoughts start disabling us, keep reminding ourselves of who we are. We are the children of our heavenly Father.
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
