Text: Luke 2:6-12
Memory verse:
Memory verse:
“Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭14‬:‭4‬

No one would want to have his family dinning table in a stable, let alone of having it as a maternity home to deliver your first child. The Son of God was not born in a royal cradle like other kings but in a common crib. Since there was no room for them in the inn, Joseph and Mary accepted the stable as a better alternative. The stable was an attachment to the inn where travelers could keep their animals. It also contains hollow troughs made from cut out stones. The trough is also called manger. It comes from the Latin word for ‘chew’ or ‘eat’. It serves as the feeding trough for horses and donkeys. “Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; But much increase comes by the strength of an ox.” (Prov‬ ‭14‬:‭4‬).
‭‭ If you have an animal house at home, you can easily imagine how the stable looked – smelling of dirty wool and hay, unsanitary and unappealing! Mary brought forth Jesus in a stable and laid Him in a manger and probably cushioned it with hay and cloths. God designed it that way to have Jesus born in such a mess in order to clean up our messes and our unpleasant odours. The stable shows us how Jesus is willing to come into any available and offered place or situation. It doesn’t have to be honourable, clean or special. It is His presence that will make it honourable, pure and special (1 Pet 2:9-10). In spite of the conditions of the stable, wise men travelled through mountains, crossed rivers and transversed regions to worship and gift a baby in a manger! The stable became a palace and the manger became a throne.Today, Jesus isn’t looking for perfect hearts but available and willingly offered hearts that He will clean up, transform, indwell and make His throne. Hallelujah!

Prayer points
1. Father, thank You for sending Jesus into the world to cleanse my messes.
2. Father, I willingly offer my heart, let it be Your dwelling and Your throne in Jesus name.

Today’s declarations

1. Christmas reminds me that Jesus came to clean up my messes and to knock out every unpleasant smell and disfavour from my life.
2. It is the presence of Jesus in the stable that made it honourable and special, so is His presence in my life.

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng