Why Is It So Smelly God?!

What did it really look like? We see pictures of Jesus' birth and it always seems to be so clean, neat, and tidy. Joseph and Mary always look so well groomed and perfect.  If you ever been in a labor room at a hospital, you know it is nothing like that at all. Now add on top of that how much worse the conditions were for Mary. Can you imagine what Mary was thinking while in that smelly, urine & manure infested stable? Makes me wonder if she didn't have a slight hint of questioning this. "Really God?! This is all we could arrange as I give birth to the Messiah?!" "How about a clean bed, or a pillow would be wonderful. Not to mention this odor is making me gag. Would it be too much to get some clean sheets!?" :) Or how about Joseph, "no, don't get anything on my tunic...uh, nevermind." lol She & Joseph probably didn't think those things but I bet I probably would have. Who knows what she was thinking. One thing is for sure though, she endured. She knew the bigger plan and that plan was to be obedient to God & bring light into a very dark world thru her giving birth to the Savior. Christ entered this world not in a palace of royalty, but at a lowly place and met us right where we are. Too often in my life I begin to question God as to why things are the way they are. "Why, God? Really God?! This is what you give me today?!" Helen Keller once said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it." This morning I am reminded that sometimes it doesn't make sense what I am going thru but that there is a bigger plan in play here. God will work all things for His good and glory. Lord give me the courage and strength to endure life's battles and struggles even when it hurts and doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Thank God that He sent His Son to this world to give us strength and endurance to face life's struggles as an overcomer. Take some time to thank Him for meeting us where we are and loving us, stink and all. What makes the Christmas story so special is that He didn't stay in that smelly manger, but walked this earth in ministry, then died for our junk and then rose. What an awesome gift! "Fear not... for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."Luke 12.32 Merry Christmas Eve friends! Rodney Holmstrom

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