Today’s Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 2 verses 1 through 16:
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.
Behold the Mystery. Emmanuel. God came to be with us. And when God came God chose to show up amidst the poor and indigent of this earth, far from the throne of power.
And so there God was, in a weekly-rate motel rental, with hand-me-down clothes from the Methodist community closet, and the bathtub for a bassinet. Mary and Joseph thanked the heavens that the hotel heater worked, though it smelled like old dust and they worried for the baby’s fragile lungs. In the middle of the night cowboys coming home from Billy Bob’s knocked and giggled at the door wanting to get a look at the new baby. They were from Paducah and they brought beer. And cigars. When they saw the baby in the bathtub they sang Amazing Grace and then Robert Earl Keene’s Merry Christmas From the Family. During the Spanish parts they went cowboy operatic: “Feliiiizzz Naaavidaaaad.”
This was the scene. The low-brow, budget motel Mystery of Incarnation. It was. And it still is. And ever more shall be.
And may those who with eyes let them see . . .
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