Night 15 of Advent – His Long-Awaited Arrival

Periodically, we take our boys on a little review of our LEGO creations, reminding them of the characters and events that have shaped our lessons thus far. As we reviewed the various creations sitting atop the counter overlooking our living room, the boys drew attention to several of our masterpieces. Josiah mentioned Frosty the snowman and reminded us that there are many stories and traditions that are enjoyed this time of year that are fun but have virtually nothing to do with Christ’s birth. Jackson pointed out Mary, reminding us that she was chosen by God to bear the long-awaited Savior of the world, and the angel, bringing to our minds the special announcements the angels were privileged to make to so many people in our story. Finally, Josiah noticed the giraffe, taking us back to our lesson on Noah and the ark God called him to build. Without knowing it, Josiah brought us back to the main thrust of all that we’ve studied this far: the world needed a savior. Noah and his family experienced firsthand the desperate need to be saved from the wrath of God; their need, however, wasn’t any different from the need of every human being that has ever lived. We’re all, left to ourselves, in desperate need of a savior to satisfy the justice of God and provide for the forgiveness of our sins. Time after time, God had promised to send this Savior, this Messiah, the Promised One, and for so long God’s chosen people, Israel, had waited and hoped.

Reading the account of Jesus’ birth is almost anticlimactic. On one hand, we know the anticipation, we read of the angels’ announcements, we watch as the wise men eagerly seek Him out. Yet, we’re also struck by the simplicity and lowliness of Jesus’ entrance into this world. We really don’t know very many of the details of that night. But we know that it must not have been usual; it must not have been normal. Deeply engrained customs of hospitality, coupled with an overwhelming lack of space, meant that this very pregnant woman and her husband would be provided with the only shelter available at the time, the animals’ quarters. It certainly isn’t typical for mothers to lay their newborn sons in mangers meant to hold feed for livestock, but even in Mary’s creative use of her surroundings we can’t help but notice God’s sweet provision for the needs of such a precious Child.

Our task this night: build a manger and a not-pregnant Mary.