The Jesus in the Stable (a re-post & a visual :-)

Helpless. Totally dependent. Unable to do anything on His own. Jesus. Born in a stable among animal dung and hay - a lowly birth by any standard. His parents had no money, no status. Mary and Joseph were considered commoners by the world, but extraordinary in the sight of God. I wonder if Mary felt Jesus jump in her womb when the innkeeper slammed the door in her face. Pretty humble beginnings for the baby who would grow up to be the King of Kings. Even though He is royalty, Jesus’ life on earth was not one of privilege. He came here as a Savior and a servant, totally dependent upon His Father.

Helpless. Totally Dependent. Unable to do anything alone. God’s children. Born into a world that is not our true home. Some have money and status, some do not. We are rejected by some and the rest simply do not understand a person can actually have a relationship with God. We are here to be servants of the Most High God, totally dependent upon our Heavenly Father. But are we totally dependent? Jesus told us we should come to Him as a child (Luke 18:15-16). The Greek word for child here is “bréfee” which means infant. We are to come to Jesus as a helpless infant who cannot even hold her own head up without His help. We are not supposed to come to Him as a whiny two-year old who hasn’t gotten her way.
Many times I approach God as a spoiled toddler presenting my demands and feeling unloved when He doesn’t immediately answer my requests. Believe me, I can out-whine any two-year old when in comes to telling God what to do for me. Or even more often, I approach Him as a person too “grown up” to have to depend on anyone. God wants us to rely on Him in every situation for every little thing. It is only when we are completely dependent upon Him and trust Him as an infant trusts its parent that we can receive His best for us. I think maybe God has not only called us to be like Jesus the man, but He has also called us to be like Jesus the infant in the stable at Bethlehem.