Looking for the extraordinary

Luke 2:7 (AMP) And she gave birth to her Son, her firstborn; and she wrapped Him in [swaddling] cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no [private] room for them in the inn.

In the early story of Jesus’s birth we read that a king is born into the world, not in a palace, but in a place that was just comfortable enough to lay one’s head down. I mean, Jacob used a stone for a pillow (Gen. 28:11)! Why do you think that it was important for Jesus to be born here? To me, it meant that He is approachable. God sent His Son, not to save me from hell (that is a bonus), but to restore a relationship.

The last line of that verse in the Amplified states, “because there was no private room for them in the inn.” Jesus did not live a private life. He wanted to show who His Father was to us.

Luke 2:8-12 (AMP) In the same region there were shepherds staying out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord flashed and shone around them, and they were terribly frightened.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people.  For this day in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (the Messiah).  And this will be a sign for you [by which you will recognize Him]: you will find a Baby wrapped in [swaddling] cloths and lying in a manger.” 

The first to hear the good news of the birth of Christ, born for us a Savior, were shepherds in a field. At first one angel showed up and then in verse 13 it says a multitude. What a sight! What a sound to hear! Think about the roller coaster amount of emotions that went through these ordinary people. Ordinary people, not the priests or scholars, but ordinary people doing what they do in their day to day. The glory of God shining right around them.

Luke 2: 15-18, 20 (AMP) When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying one to another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem, and see this [wonderful] thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.”  So they went in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the Baby as He lay in the manger.  And when they had seen this, they made known what had been told them about this Child,  and all who heard it were astounded and wondered at what the shepherds told them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as it had been told them.

The Shepherds had a real encounter. Their lives would never be the same. I love how it says they returned to their life, but they did it glorifying and praising God. Let us do the same today as we go through the ordinary things we do. We can do them and glorify God. That is my prayer this morning. Father, let me glorify you today! Let me see what you want me to see. Let me lead someone closer to you. Let me be the vessel that reconciles the relationship your Son came to reestablish at His birth. Turn what is ordinary into extraordinary. Let us praise His goodness today!