| Away in a Manger |
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A carol as simple as Away in a Manger would be surrounded by so much confusion as to who wrote it. In 1887, American hymn writer James R. Murray printed in Dainty Songs for Little Lads and Lasses. Murray said it was composed by Martin Luther for his children and then sung By German mothers to their children as a lullaby. But Murray was later proved to be wrong. We all have heard the song and have gotten a picture of the Manger in plays. But what did it really look like? Do we know?
1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God. 1:3 All things were made through him; and without him was not anything made that hath been made. 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 1:5And the light shineth in the darkness; and the darkness apprehended it not.
Where did we get the idea what the Nativity Scenes look like? We have all seen them. Do we know were it came from? Do we really need to Know?
Nativity scenes were first made popular by St. Francis of Assisi. He began the tradition of setting up large manger scenes in a community. Early in the thirteenth century,St. Francis built a full-sized nativity scene in Greccio,Italy,including live animals.His intent was to make the meaning of Christmas more real to the people. 4:2 But unto you that fear my name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall.
So what was it like the Manger ? What was the first nativity like? First The Wise Men were not there that night but maybe up to two years later at their home. Isn't it neat that Jesus that called Himself The Bread of Life was born in Bethlehem witch means the House of Bread!
Joseph and Mary had to travel 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem it would take them about two weeks some say five days.
When they got there they had nowhere to stay because no room in the inns. But I think that the lamb of God had to be born in the stable because that were all sacrifices kept in.For He was born to wash away our sins.
At His birth in a hillside cave on the edge of Bethlehem a dark and draughty limestone cavern used for animals-------smelly,littered with offal,crawling with insects.
The mother,weak from her labor,sprinkled the infant with salt to toughen His skin,swathed Him with strips of cloth to brace His body to keep Him straight until about the age of two years old only taking them off every six months to bath the infant.Then the mother laid Him in the rock floor used as a feed trough. Jesus birth would have been about 4 B.C.E The Roman year 750.
The Shepherds were the first to know for it was their job to watch the unblemished lambs for The Temple. They came to see The Great Shepherd,King of Kings,The Lamb of God. They were the first to tell the Good News. Now do you think it's our turn to tell all The Good News? The Lamb of God came to save us. Do I hear a BIG AMEN!!!!!!! |
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