“Where’s baby Jesus?”
My husband searched through the bag where we stored one of our Nativity sets from last year.
“Uh-oh, we lost baby Jesus.”
I rushed over. “What?”
“Baby Jesus is missing.”
We have several nativity sets, but the one I most treasure is made of wood cutouts that fit within each other. The largest cutout is the roof of the manger, and every other cutout beneath it depicts another aspect of the manger scene—the inside of the stable, Mary and Joseph, and of course, baby Jesus. Each wood cutout can be placed in front of the other so that the nativity scene itself is three-dimensional with baby Jesus front and center.
I look forward to setting out this nativity set every year—not only because it was hand-made and given to me from a church member many years ago but also because everything in the manger scene fades into the background so that baby Jesus is the focal point.
I’m optimistic: I’m sure baby Jesus will show up somewhere—and, believe me, I’m keeping an eye out for him. Several friends have even joked that technically, Mary would still be expecting at this time and that baby Jesus should officially arrive on Christmas Eve. And wouldn’t that be something if he did show up about that time!
Dear friend, Jesus did show up—more than 2,000 years ago, just as it was foretold:
“Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
He came!
Many awaited his arrival—thinking he would come in grandeur and might. Instead, He came as a babe—bare and mild. He lived a sinless life, yet He took our sins upon Himself, so that we who are sinful could forever be with the sinless, holy God.
He came!
And still, many missed him. Today, many miss him. But they don’t have to—you don’t have to.
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
Dear one, don’t miss him. We don’t know the day nor the hour (Matthew 24:36), but we eagerly await His return (Matthew 24:42; Hebrews 9:28). This life has many struggles, many trials, and many tears, but Jesus promised to wipe every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4).
He is coming!
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:1-3).
He is preparing a place. And when he returns, no one will miss his arrival.
“Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7).
“For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
He is coming.
Lift up your heads. Look to the heavens. Even so, come, Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20).
Daphne Tarango
About Daphne Tarango
Daphne Tarango is a freelance writer who comforts others with the comfort she has received from God. Daphne is a recovery speaker and writers’ group president. She has published numerous inspirational articles in print and online magazines. She has three stories in the inspirational collection, Women of the Secret Place, published by Ambassador International. Daphne is married to Luis and in the past year, has resigned from corporate life to take a position as a stay-at-home mom of three adopted children. To connect with Daphne, visit her blog: http://DaphneWrites.com.
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