I share this story every year because it’s one I want to remember.
Years ago, when we moved back to Arizona from Montana one of our favorite places to go was to Tubac. We had purchased a Santa Fe style home and wanted to furnish it accordingly. This artisan community gave us so many wonderful ideas and was the perfect place to shop. It still is.
Anyway, we had one or two favorite stores and struck up a relationship with the shop keepers. Each year I would decorate our home at Christmas time with nativities and angels. The Country Shoppe had the most diverse selection of nativity sets of any of the stores. It also had the most unusual display.
Looking at each set, small or large, it didn’t take long to notice that something was missing. There was no baby Jesus! Upon closer inspection, shoppers would notice several small handwritten signs.
Please ask for the baby Jesus
I was intrigued. I asked the shopkeeper about the sign. He told me that although the store has little to no theft, the one item that is consistently taken is the baby Jesus. Because of that they keep Him in the backroom, only to be added to the set when a purchase is made.
Who would steal the baby Jesus? But it was definitely a thing. “Ask for the baby Jesus”, the sign was intriguing.
Isn’t that what the shepherds had to do? Ask for the baby Jesus. Afterall, the angels had only told them that He would be laying in a manager in Bethlehem. How many mangers did they stop at? How many times did they ask, “where’s the babe”?
“ The angels went from the shepherds back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see what has happened. The Lord has told us about this.” 16 They went fast and found Mary and Joseph. They found the Baby lying in a place where cattle are fed. 17 When they saw the Child, they told what the angel said about Him. 18 All who heard it were surprised at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary hid all these words in her heart. She thought about them much. 20 The shepherds went back full of joy. They thanked God for all they had heard and seen. It happened as the angel had told them.” Luke 2:15-20 NLV
It’s an important question for you and I. Where’s Jesus?
Have we left Him as a babe in the manger, only to be brought out of the back room at Christmas? Is He in a picture on the wall that we look at occasionally and then go on about our day? Or, does He live within our hearts as our constant companion, our Savior, Lord and King?
“There was a rich man named Zaccheus. He was a leader of those who gathered taxes. 3 Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus but he could not because so many people were there and he was a short man… 6 At once he came down and was glad to have Jesus come to his house.” Luke 19:1-6 NLV
Jesus desires to live in our house, in our hearts. Invite Him in. Let everyone know the answer to “where’s Jesus”.