A way in(side) a manger

Ten gazillion pictures showing the baby Jesus in a straw-filled wooden box. Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and little nativities... straw/wood... what?

This photo on the Internet shocked me. I had no idea what a manger really looked like, much less what it was used for... back in the day(?) I don't know; maybe today they are still used to feed and/or water the animals. That is their purpose... and ideal for a sleeping child that needs a crib. And then there's the song:

"Away in a manger no room for a bed
The little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay
The little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay."

Aha! A hay-filled rock-hewn manger for the small person who'd provide the world a way. A way to love. A way to hope. A way to live within the coming Kingdom of God. So the babe grew up and went about, describing the Kingdom of God. That's the gospel and most seem to have forgotten or simply don't know it.

My stuff gets real tired listening to Sunday school teachings of the same old, same old thing. I feel like jumping up from my chair and shouting out: "Why are we constantly relearning the same thing from year to year?" I'm beginning to understand why Jesus went on 'tour' so to speak. Because there's 'a way' that came out of that manger and moved onward toward life, I am enabled to move on too.

Thanks for reading.