The Best He Could Offer



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, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:6-7)

Mary loved her baby. You can see it in her actions. She wrapped Him in swaddling clothes—these were strips of cloth that mothers used to bind their babies so they would grow up straight and strong. And of course, she wanted the best for her baby. So she must have packed them, back in Nazareth, in case of need. They weren’t silk or satin, but they were the best she could offer.

Joseph loved the baby, too. We can see that by all the hard work he went to, to keep Jesus and His mother safe. Was it he who brought over the manger so that Jesus could have a safe place to sleep and Mary wouldn’t have to worry about Him? It seems likely. He couldn’t provide Jesus with a crib or cradle, but he could at least get Him off the floor. It was the best he could offer.

And God the Father? Ah, His love was the best of all. For He also provided the best He could offer—Jesus Himself, our Saviour. God did not send us an angel. He did not send a wise and holy man, or a great leader, or an epic hero. He sent His own Son Jesus into the flesh, God incarnate born as a human baby.

Jesus offered Himself up for our sakes—from the first day of His life to the last. He offered Himself at the cross in order to destroy the power of sin, death, and the devil. He brought the whole human race out from under those terrible powers. And when He rose from the dead, He guaranteed that whoever trusts in Him will have the best of the best—will become a child of God and enjoy His love, and deep, joyful, meaningful life, forever.

Who could offer anything more?

Father, thank You for Jesus. Take my heart and help me to trust in Your Son forever. Amen.

Reflect & Discuss

  • What kinds of things would you do for a baby to care for it?
  • Name one thing God has provided for you this week that shows His love.
  • What is one thing, big or small, you choose to offer to God because you love Him?


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Danger

Image
If you’re reading this right now then be warned. This devotional to spiritual warfare is a bit dangerous, not to you, but to your way of life. If ignorance is bliss, it aims to destroy that bliss forever. Imagine living in a house infested with termites. For years you never noticed them. Just beyond reach, just out of sight, they lived, they ate, they spawned, they festered. For all those years you blindly ate, played, and slept, unaware of the lurking presence right beneath your head at night. If you live in a house full of termites is it better to know or is it simpler to live in ignorance? If you prefer ignorance, then stop reading right now. If you don’t want to know about the spiritual forces that have been eating away at the foundation of your life and family like termites, then there’s no need to go any farther. Ignorance is in fact bliss, at least for the short term. This book’s aim is nothing short of ripping up the base boards, pulling out the sheetrock and exposing the d
Read more

FEARFUL

Image
" Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles " (Acts 2:43) Read: Acts 2:43 The word awe is defined as “fearful” and usually refers to the fear of the LORD in the Bible. Fear of the Lord doesn’t mean sheer terror. It’s having a healthy respect for God’s power, acknowledging his all-encompassing character and that he holds life and death in his hands. Early believers focused upward and gave God credit for the miracles performed through the Apostles and the salvation they offered through Jesus. We have no less reason for awe of God today. His signs and wonders are all around us. He created everything (Genesis 1:1), holds everything together (Colossians 1:17) and raised Christ from the dead by which we are saved and made new (Romans 6:4). He has a home for each of us in his Kingdom (John 14:2), which will be established when Jesus returns (1 Thessalonians 4:16). God is the author of life through which babies are formed, and plants s
Read more

Worship

Image
Text: Psalm 104.24-35 Psalm 104 starts and ends with the words, “Praise the Lord, my soul”. The beginning and the end are a proclamation of praise to the Almighty God. In fact, the whole psalm is a review of the greatness of God in creation and, therefore, a meditation on God’s providence. To consider such things, helps us to draw closer to God and worship Him. If we are sincere with ourselves, our daily situations (children, work, news, stress, etc.) can take our attention away from God. It is not easy to just plug-in and worship the Lord. I find myself missing so much of God’s creation, because my mind wanders off to my daily concerns. My wife calls me to really see the beauty around us, otherwise I would miss it. How easy it is for us to be carried away and not once lift our eyes to the Lord, and worship Him that created the earth. Let us open our spiritual eyes, God has revealed through the authors of the Psalms that all of creation is called to worship. It is not just appreciation
Read more