Day 20: Away In The Manger
Away in a manger
No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down His sweet head
The stars in the sky
Look down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
The cattle are lowing
The poor Baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying He makes
I love Thee, Lord Jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my side
‘Til morning is nigh
Be near me, Lord Jesus
I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever
And love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children
In Thy tender care
And take us to Heaven
To live with Thee there
Away in a mangerThis impression seems to only emphasize the idea that God’s “ideal world” is full of quiet compliant infants and stars shining down with pride. It would be easy to take the lyrics in this carol at face value and read them as fluffy as the clouds holding the harp-playing angels, but just as the nativity scene was likely not as idyllic as we envision, I feel these lyrics also have a deeper meaning.No crib for His bed
The little Lord Jesus
Lay down His sweet head
The stars in the sky
Look down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus
Asleep on the hay
These lyrics specifically ask Jesus to bless all of His dear children with His care — even the children born in the muck of today’s “mangers.” All of them. The children who are different from us. The children who disagree with us. Liberal children. Conservative children. Children against vaccinations and children pushing for them to be mandatory. Even the children (yes, they exist!) that believe that the Earth is flat. Children who are poor and rich and lost and found. All His dear children.Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay
Close by me forever and love me, I pray
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care
And take us to Heaven to live with Thee there
Imagine what a difference we would see if this season if we led by example and went beyond the surface pleasantries and fluff to a deeper place. A place where we truly work to love all of the dear and different children we share our world with.
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