Hosanna Restoration Church

Prayerfully, everyone has taken a look at his or her manger highway. I found myself mentally plotting a road with different markers along it. Looking back, some of them were so obviously God spots that I wonder how I missed them. Others were such godless spots that it was hard to imagine they all could have been on the same road, and yet I know they were. The great news is, I know they brought me to the manger.

As I continue to seek the Lord along this line I see that Jesus came down from glory and arrived at the manger. After the manger He ultimately went up on the cross and from there to the grave. From the grave He dropped down to finish some work with the devil and then back He came. He spent a little time on the earth again, and then back to glory He went. Our path definitely has some similarities to this. We come from God and are born into this world. During the course of our lives we must come to terms with the cross and forgiveness for our sins. From that cross, we go to the manger and are born again. Old things pass away and we become new creatures in Christ. Unlike Jesus however, we are not perfect and sinless from the time of our new birth and therefore we need to take a trip to the cross from time to time. Paul said that he died daily and I imagine we all do too in one way or another. It occurred to me that we always want the forgiveness that we receive at the foot of the cross, but do we remember to go the manger and be reborn in that area so that we can grow properly.

Isn’t it interesting that there are counselor treatments that include people laying in a room in a fetal position and acting like babies. They may not realize it, but it is an attempt to do as the bible says and become as little children. When we come to places in our lives where we are not acting the way a child of God should and we go to God for forgiveness we need to be renewed in our spirit in that area as well. Part of us dies and is ready to be reborn in the image of God. So I guess you could say we that should keep the manger. Don’t store in the garage out of sight like a baby crib. Be prepared and willing to return as often you need to, so that your relationship with the Lord will always be fresh and new. Take time to curl up with the Lord and find out what He wants and how you are doing.

This just may be the key to overcoming those things that you cannot seem to defeat. I can’t tell you how many times I have been asked by people to explain why they just do not seem to get victory over certain sins. They feel terrible about it, they go to God and ask forgiveness and for help to overcome it, but then there it is again. Why? Maybe because being sorry is not enough: we have to be prepared to crush those things that come against the God in us. Once they are put to death a trip to the manger is in store so that we begin life anew in that area. Think about it.

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