“’For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!’” – Luke 2:11-14 NKJV.
Many of you have been inspired by my Christmas story – the miracle I experienced at the mall in 2012. The overall essence of my personal story is this: something miraculous, something divine, happened to mom and I in the most unusual of places at the most unusual of times – and, when I least expected it.
And, you might recall, two weeks before our journey home, to Minnesota, the Lord spoke to me and said something along the lines, “By the way, something very special will happen to you while you’re in Minnesota. I cannot tell you what it is, but you’ll know when it happens”.
God gave me a “head’s up”.
Two weeks later, as we were experiencing a most blessed journey through Minnesota, one of our stops was at the Ft. Snelling Chapel where mom and I surprised one of mom’s lifelong friends. It was a wonderful morning and, as we left the Chapel that morning, I remember looking up and saying, “So, that’s it, that was the special moment You told me about two weeks ago, right?”.
God responded, “Well, that was a special moment but not ‘thee’ special moment I have planned for you. The special moment I have planned is yet to come.”. I was still puzzled as I had been for two weeks.
Later that day, that special moment did happen. In the most unusual of places, at the most unusual of times, in the most unusual of ways. A divine experience. A miracle. And, I had no doubt that moment was the special moment God had told me about – two weeks before our trip.
The real Christmas story – the reason for the season, Christ’s birth – happened in a similar way.
There were those who knew about it – Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the Magi and others. And, many who didn’t. The first Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken. So, like mom and I went home for Christmas in 2012, everyone had to go back to their home to register for the census. That included Mary and Joseph.
Mary and Joseph set out for their journey home and arrived in Bethlehem.
However, on their arrival, there was no place for them to stay. As the story goes, there was no vacancy – no room – for them at the Inn.
All they could find was a lowly, humble, dirty, smelly stable where the King of kings, and Lord of lords would soon be born, wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in a manger – a feeding trough for animals.
Isn’t it interesting that, in John 6:35, Jesus becomes a type of “feeding trough” for each of us declaring, “… ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’”
The most unusual of places, at the most unusual of times, in the most unusual of ways.
That’s where they found Him laying, in a manger – those who were in the “know”.
Where will you find Him? Where will your own “divine experience” take place? Where will you encounter the “Christ” in “Christ-mas”?
Perhaps it won’t be where you most expect it but, rather, where you least expect it. In the most unusual of places, at the most unusual of times, in the most unusual of ways.
Merry Christmas!
Ch.Doug