His dwelling shall be glorious

His dwelling shall be glorious. 

When you look at a nativity scene, you will see hay and animals.   And right in the center of it all is Jesus, the Son of God, lying in a manger.   Who would have thought that he would choose to make his glorious dwelling in such a humble setting?

Let this truth sink in:   Jesus, the Messiah, was willing to come right into the heart of our world and be born in a stable.   No pomp.   No fanfare.   No royal attendants.   His presence alone made that stable glorious.

Every day, Jesus continues to come to us in humility.   He chooses to enter our ordinary circumstances and make them glorious.   When he does, our lives are graced just as that stable was two thousand years ago.   He doesn’t wait for just the right moment or the perfect setting.   He embraces our highs and lows, triumphs and failures.

Just as he came to an unkempt stable, Jesus is happy to come into your messy home.   Just as he was surrounded by the sounds of noisy animals, he is there in the midst of crying children or difficult relationships.   Just as he came to a displaced family huddled in a cave, he is there when we feel isolated or afraid.   He comes to prison cells and hospital rooms just as readily as he comes to families gathered around the table and worshippers gathered around the altar.   Jesus is always Emmanuel, God with us, in times of joy and times of sorrow.   He comes and fills them with his glory.

Jesus always comes to you, regardless of your situation.   The smelliness of the stable cannot take away from the beauty of his presence.   Your own unworthiness or failings cannot dim his glory.   He embraces every part of your life, and by doing so, he makes you glorious!

So don’t be afraid to welcome Jesus.   Don’t think you’re unworthy.   Don’t let shame or fear keep you from opening the door to him.   He knows what it’s like to live in an all-too-human, less-than-perfect world.   Not only will he come into your home and your life, but he will change it—simply by his loving presence.

Word Among Us