Are you leaving baby Jesus in the manger?

Sometimes on Sunday mornings my mind begins to wander as I am listening to the sermon. Not usually a good thing. But last Sunday I began thinking about something the pastor said. He said, if Jesus has just come as a baby, He would have failed His mission.

So many people celebrate Christmas, and even recognize that it is Jesus' "birthday." But do they also leave Him in the manger? He is not just a baby once a year, but fully man and fully God forever, who lived and suffered on this Earth, who tasted Hell so that we might experience salvation. That is one powerful Jesus.

I have recently fallen in love with Brandon Health's new Christmas song, "The Night Before Christmas." (You can upload an MP3 of it for free from Amazon.com, btw!) Anyway, here's the chorus:

And the world didnt know mercy was meek and so mild.
And the world didnt know that truth was as pure as a child.
The night before Christmas.
The night before Christmas.
And the world didnt know, redemption was sweet and so strong.
And the world didnt know salvation was writing a song.
The night before christmas.
The night before christmas.
The night before christmas.
Empty manger, perfect stranger, about to be born.

As we celebrate this season and look to His birth, remember that Our Savior left the manger more than 2000 years ago. And He is mightily enthroned on High. Isaiah got it right when he prophesied:

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)