Luke 2:6-7 "And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. (7) And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn."
The Lord had placed Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem. I cannot imagine that Mary
was "thrilled" about making the journey when she was nine months
pregnant; yet, she went with Joseph to be counted in the census. She surely
knew that the baby would be born during that time. Now, I have to share with
you the way in which my thoughts have changed through the years. I used to
think that when Jesus was born, Mary found old rags in that stable and used
them to wrap her baby in those "swaddling clothes."
Now, I am sure that during her pregnancy, though she is never mentioned, Mary's
mother helped her with preparation for when the baby would be delivered.
If her mother did not help, we know Mary spent three months with her cousin
Elizabeth. I'm sure Mary watched the way in which Elizabeth took care of
herself and her baby. My point in all this is that Mary did not make the trip
to Bethlehem without bringing what was needed to properly care for her baby.
Those swaddling clothes were not rough, dirty sacks that were found in the
stable; rather, they were soft warm cloths that were used to wrap Baby Jesus.
She did everything she possibly could in order to make sure her newborn baby
was taken care of.
My thought this morning is this: We should always be prepared for we never know
when the Lord is going to place us in a position to be a proper witness unto
Him.