CHRISTMAS PRESENCE

Just some thoughts, questions and reflections...

I've wondered a lot about what the Incarnation was like on THAT side of who He was...in other words, what was it like in His head?

When did He realize who He was? Was it known to Him as a child or did Mary have to show Him who He was?

Did He have a memory of pre-Incarnation?

Which was more humbling...to be born in a barn or to simply become human?

How long did it take to use up the gold that was given to Him as a child by the wise men? He was poor through out His ministry, so was it used while they were in Egypt when He was a child?

What happened with the other gifts? Did Mary keep the myrrh and use it for His burial?

Why do we celebrate His birth by giving gifts to each other (not that there's anything wrong with that) but we negelct so often to do what He did...give of ourselves to those who are in need?

The real Christmas story really does involve a tree...one that would later be made into a cross - the whole reason for the Christmas story.

Commericalism can only take root if we let it.

There really is nothing wrong with Xmas...the "X" is historically symbolic of the cross. I prefer to see His title, "Christ" in the word, but let's not get too bent out of shape.

The cries of the Child in the manger were the first of many for Him.

We really don't know how many wise men there were.

More than likely, Mary (Miryam) was only about 15 years old...my oldest is 16...wow.

The children that were slaughtered by Herod the Great were the first martyrs for Jesus. Martyr means "witness" and their little lives bore witness to His greatness and the fear that the ungodly have about Him.

Bethlehem (Beit'lechaim) means "house of bread"...Jesus said He is the Bread of Life. He was also laid in a feeding trough that usually contained barley,which was the grain used to make the common bread...hmmmmm. Humility, humility, humility.

The wise men (Magi), more than likely knew about the Messiah's birth from the book of Daniel...considering Daniel was a "wise man" under the rule of the Persian king Darius.

The Bible never mentions the names of the wise men...their names could have been Tom, Dick & Harry for all we know.

I will be forever grateful (literally) for the Incarnation, for it led to (and made possible) the cross, which makes possible my salvation and eternal life. I really like to...

Think about it.