“Mary gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.”
Luke 2:7
Mary wrapped Jesus snugly, but it wasn’t Heaven’s plan for Jesus to live the rest of His life in comfort and security. Jesus came to earth to give His life and show us God. If Mary had kept Jesus wrapped up, He would have never been able to fulfill His purpose.
Jesus clarified that purpose by saying He did not come to abolish Moses’ Law or the prophets’ writings—He came to fulfill them. (Matthew 5:17) The Law was a symbol OF the Way. The prophets called people TO the Way. But Jesus came to BE the Way for us to connect with God.
People have always tried to wrap Jesus up. Mary lovingly wrapped Jesus in strips of cloth, but we fearfully wrap Him in strips of doubt. In fact, we use so many strips that we kill any chance of people ever seeing what God really looks like.
However, I remember another time when doubt killed Jesus on a cross. Once again, He was wrapped in strips of cloth, but instead of a manger, was laid in a tomb. And once again, it was not God’s plan that He remain wrapped up! Jesus completed our connection to God when He left those wrappings in that tomb forever!
At birth and at death, man could not keep Jesus wrapped up, and neither should we!
Let’s unwrap JESUS for the world to see!
