Daily Thought for Thursday, December 22nd

December 22, 2011

(During this week before Christmas I am going to depart from the normal format of these daily devotions and instead share some special thoughts about the traditions and symbols of Christmas that help us focus on the Real Reason for the Season)

Today’s Bible Verses:    Luke 2:15-30

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

Symbols of Christmas

The Crèche

Among the traditions of Christmas, one of the most beautiful is setting up a crèche during the Advent season: or what we call the Nativity Scene   A crèche is a model of the scene at the manger on the first Christmas in the stable at Bethlehem. In our modern world crèches have taken on many sizes, forms and are made of a vast array of materials.  Some set up their Nativity Scene complete while others don’t place the baby in the manger until Christmas morning. 

The word crèche is from the French word for manger. The French word comes from the Italian word Greccio. Greccio was the town where the first manger scene was set up by St. Francis of Assisi in 1223, some say as an alternative for pilgrims wanting to go to Bethlehem, which was then occupied by the Turks. Before that time, many churches had built nativity scenes, but these early mangers were covered with gold, silver, and jewels. They were much fancier than the original manger in which the Christ child was laid.

St. Francis wanted people to remember that Jesus was born in a humble stable. He asked a farmer friend of his to help by bringing an ox, a donkey, a manger and some straw to a nearby cave. On Christmas Eve, St. Francis and the people of Greccio met in this cave. By candlelight, they acted out the story of Jesus’ birth.

The manger scene or Nativity or crèche serves as a reminder to us that even though Jesus was God in the flesh; He came into the world not with grandeur and elegance, but rather humbly as a baby in a manger located in a barn in Bethlehem.  This humble beginning serves to illustrate for us how we as Christians living a life of service to Him should remember to be humble.  For after all, we were taken from sin and death and brought into life and royalty by the most glorious and humble King of Kings and Lord of Lords who gave His life’s blood to redeem our souls.  

(Details of this history were taken from an article by Bill Petro)

Today’s Prayer

Father, may the hope, joy and life that your Son, Jesus, brought into the world as a baby in the manger, stay fresh and new in my heart and spirit through each and every day of the year.