Abbey Christmas: Longsuffering Week 4 Day 4

Day 4:  Longsuffering and Status - Jesus’ Birthplace

Text:  Luke 2: 4-7

They left their home, their comfort, and traveled 90 grueling miles along the Jordan and over the hills of Jerusalem to get to Bethlehem.  It was a long journey to Joseph’s hometown, a place where they could have been received with joy and welcomed in. After all, Mary was VERY pregnant by this point, carrying the Messiah!

They showed up in Bethlehem to be counted.  It was clear they didn’t matter. There was no place for them.

No crowd waiting to celebrate their arrival.  No meal or drink to restore their strength. No bed.  No place to find rest. No room in the inn, and no real options.  So they found shelter in a stable.

Of course, this is the moment Jesus makes his arrival.  In the dark. In a barn. Wrapped in rags and laid in a trough. Surrounded by dirt and dung.  This was no place for a King. But it was the perfect place for the Lamb.

It’s human to want to belong, and sometimes suffering is connected to the desire for recognition or appreciation.  It is easy to get caught up fighting to get into places and spaces and positions and relationships we think we have earned, deserve or are entitled to.  

It can be a challenge to be content where you are, even if that means accepting rejection, lack, or isolation.  But Christ wasn’t born in the comforts of the palace. He was found first in the manger.

Reflection

Morning Pause: Sometimes the most beautiful things are born in the most difficult situations.  How is God present in the areas in your life where you’ve found yourself feeling rejected, frustrated, or complaining the most?

Afternoon Pause: In what ways can you welcome in those who are lost, hurting, or who have been rejected?  Pray that God would open your eyes to see Christ in the people that may be overlooked, and to serve them well.

Evening Pause: Finding contentment requires an attitude of gratitude no matter the circumstance.  Make a list of ten things in your life that you’re grateful for, and stop to thank God for them.