Why do you think Mark and Hannah are so happy? You guessed it! The little baby they have been talking about and waiting so long for has finally arrived! And here they are, holding him for the first time! The doctor had written down on his chart when their baby was to be born. So, of course, the family was watching the calendar date with more and more interest as the weeks went by.
But I must tell you about another little baby who was promised to a family long ago. They were not told what month or even what year this baby would be born. At first, many of the people in that family were looking forward eagerly for that special child to be born. But the time seemed too long for waiting, and so most of them got busy thinking about and doing other things. In fact, they stopped looking at the calendar and forgot about the promise of His birth. When He finally was born, very few people even noticed or cared that He was there.
I am sure by now you have guessed who that baby was. It was Jesus whom God had sent to be the Saviour of the world. His family was the people of Israel - the nation God had chosen to follow His Son and to be an example to the unbelieving nations around them.
When a new baby is expected things have to be gotten ready. Mark and Hannah’s parents and all of their relatives and friends helped to prepare for the coming of little Andrew. They brought gifts and made sure his crib would be warm and cozy. This was not true of Jesus’ family. Though Joseph and Mary would gladly have done the same, the relatives - the children of Israel - would not even provide a place for Him to be born. So Jesus was born in a stable where the animals were kept. This is especially sad, because remember Jesus is God’s own Son whom He sent from heaven. But God wanted each of us to see how unkind our hearts really are, and how little we care about Him or His Son. Still, I do believe the animals in Bethlehem that night were more aware of their Maker than God’s own chosen people were, for the Bible says, “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know [the Lord], My people doth not consider [the Lord]” (Isaiah 1:33The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. (Isaiah 1:3)).
All new babies have to be given a name. So Mark and Hannah’s parents had a special name all picked out for their new baby. I am sure they had a special reason for choosing the name Andrew. And God had a special name picked out for His Son before He was born. He told both Joseph and Mary to call Him “Jesus.” God had a special reason for choosing that name - it means “Saviour.” God had planned that His Son Jesus would “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:2121And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)).
It is too late to open our homes for a place for the Lord Jesus to be born, because the time of His birth is over, isn’t it? He is no longer a baby. But it is not too late to open our hearts to Him, because right now He is a man sitting on the right hand of God. On the cross He finished the work of salvation that God gave Him to do while He was down here. And now He is offering that gift of salvation to you. Will you open your heart to Him? Right now?
ML-03/26/1995