DON’T YOU KNOW ME?
TEXT: And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn Son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger … (Luke 2:6-7)
If you have children, do you remember the first time you were completely responsible for them, with no doctors or nurses or grandparents around? I remember walking up the steps to our house with my newborn son in my arms thinking, “Where are the grown-ups? Who’s going to take care of this baby?” It didn’t seem right that somebody—God?—had trusted me to keep safe a tiny scrap of a human being not three days old. Didn’t God know me? Caring for a dog was about as far as I’d gone before!
But for Mary and Joseph, it must have been worse. This was God’s own Son. How could two sinful people raise the holy Son of God? No doubt they felt totally inadequate. After all, didn’t God know them? How could He trust His Son to them?
However they felt, they had to go forward. Joseph made his new family as comfortable as possible under the circumstances, and no doubt he arranged food and looked for better housing. Mary unpacked the baby things and wrapped Jesus up warmly, and then found Him a safe place to sleep in a manger. With the help of God, Jesus’ new parents got on with the job, trusting God to mend whatever mistakes they made.
That’s what we have to do too, isn’t it? Perhaps you are facing some challenge right now that makes you, too, look around, wondering where the grownups are who ought to be dealing with your situation. You know your own weaknesses all too well. But to you Jesus says the same thing He said to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” And with Paul we can answer, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Our Savior Jesus died and rose for us. He will not leave us alone in any of our challenges.
THE PRAYER: Father, when I don’t know what to do, give me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and direct me. Amen.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
How do you feel about caring for newborn babies? Pets? Sick people? Is this comfortable for you, or not?
Have you ever felt like a “real adult” ought to be handling your responsibilities instead of you? If you’re willing, tell the story.
When has God helped you face a challenging situation?
Copyright is owned by the Lutheran Laymen’s League, and used with permission of the Lutheran Hour Ministries, all rights reserved. Lutheran Hour Ministries: https://www.lhm.org/
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