He Came Wrapped

A few days ago Phyllis asked me to get some wrapping paper out of an upstairs storage area. As I was headed for the stairs she said, “Get the paper for kids.”  Once I entered the room and looked in a box there lay several rolls of partially used paper. I dug around until I found the kid friendly one and brought it back downstairs—mission accomplished. We men could care less, but all women know that presents must be wrapped appropriately because presentation is part of the beauty of the gift. That’s why they choose the right print, color and bow or else gifts are not suitable for giving. This makes me think of the wrapping that was chosen for Jesus when He entered earth. When we look into the stable and our eyes get their first glimpse into the life of the Savior, we find that God the Father, and Mary His mother were very meticulous in how the gift was wrapped. Luke  says the little Jewish girl “brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger. There He is in a barn lying in a makeshift crib wrapped in pieces of cloth.  He wasn’t born in a palace although He was the God of the universe.  He wasn’t even born in a nice hotel or in a hospital.  He was born in a barn.  Do you know what a manger is?  A manger is a feed box for cattle where they put wheat and oats and stuff.  It’s not exactly a real clean place to leave an infant, a newly born baby.  Yet that’s where God was born. Jesus could have wrapped himself in a mind-boggling show of power, lighting up the sky with celestial glory. Instead He came in humility, in the likeness of men. Paul describes His birth in this fashion “Christ gave up His place as God and made Himself nothing.  He was born to be a man and became like a servant. He came wrapped in humanity so we could know him, so he could know us, so everyone could know the beauty of the gift.  So as you unwrap your presents this Christmas be sure you spend time getting to know the one who came to earth and is the focus of the season; He was wrapped just for you!