Point of Inspiration
What Were They Thinking At The Manger?
Posted by Robert D. Pace in
Wednesday, December 1st at 7:43 am (Permalink)
Reader’s Digest published the real-life story of a U.S. soldier stationed in Iraq, whose wife and young daughter were left in the States. The little girl said, “Mommy, I sure would like to have a baby brother.” The mother responded, “Yes darling, and your dad and I want you to have a baby brother.” The little girl rolled her big blue eyes toward her mom’s face and said, “Mommy, why don’t you go ahead and have one and let’s surprise Daddy when he gets back from Iraq”? Humorous as that may be, how do you suppose Joseph felt when Mary told him that she was with child? Shocked, disbelieving, dismayed, and perhaps angered! But the wonders of God do not come without divine confirmation. Shortly after Mary informed Joseph, God appeared in a dream to him and assured him that Mary’s child was divinely ordained. Without question, Joseph accepted the word from God. Then, after months of waiting, Christ was born in that stable of Bethlehem. Have you ever wondered what Mary and Joseph thought as they looked into the face of Jesus for the first time? When Mary looked into the manger she thought, "That's my child!" And she was right! Mary’s thoughts testified to Christ's humanity; He was “bone of her bone and flesh of her flesh.” But when Joseph looked into the manger his thoughts were the opposite. "That's not my child!" And he too was right! Jesus was not his son! He was the Son of the Most High God . . . and Joseph’s thoughts testified to Christ’s divinity! Born of Mary, Jesus was man. Sent from God, Jesus was divine. Isaiah said, “Unto us a child is born (Christ’s humanity); unto us a Son is given (Christ’s divinity).”