Today Our Daily Bread Luke 2

Luke 2: 1 - 52
1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, his fianc'e, who was obviously pregnant by this time. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.
8 That night some shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, 10 but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! 11 The Savior – yes, the Messiah, the Lord – has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger, wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!" 13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others – the armies of heaven – praising God: 14 "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. F6 " 15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Come on, let's go to Bethlehem! Let's see this wonderful thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." 16 They ran to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 Then the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds' story were astonished, 19 but Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their fields and flocks, glorifying and praising God for what the angels had told them, and because they had seen the child, just as the angel had said.
21 Eight days later, when the baby was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel even before he was conceived. 22 Then it was time for the purification offering, as required by the law of Moses after the birth of a child; so his parents took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. 23 The law of the Lord says, "If a woman's first child is a boy, he must be dedicated to the Lord." F7 24 So they offered a sacrifice according to what was required in the law of the Lord – "either a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." F8
25 Now there was a man named Simeon who lived in Jerusalem. He was a righteous man and very devout. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he eagerly expected the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. 26 The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 29 "Lord, now I can die in peace! As you promised me, 30 I have seen the Savior 31 you have given to all people. 32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!" 33 Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was being said about Jesus. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, "This child will be rejected by many in Israel, and it will be their undoing. But he will be the greatest joy to many others. 35 Thus, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul." 36 Anna, a prophet, was also there in the Temple. She was the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, and was very old. She was a widow, for her husband had died when they had been married only seven years. 37 She was now eighty-four years old. She never left the Temple but stayed there day and night, worshiping God with fasting and prayer. 38 She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began praising God. She talked about Jesus to everyone who had been waiting for the promised King to come and deliver Jerusalem. 39 When Jesus' parents had fulfilled all the requirements of the law of the Lord, they returned home to Nazareth in Galilee. 40 There the child grew up healthy and strong. He was filled with wisdom beyond his years, and God placed his special favor upon him.
41 Every year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. 42 When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. 43 After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn't miss him at first, 44 because they assumed he was with friends among the other travelers. But when he didn't show up that evening, they started to look for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they couldn't find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. 46 Three days later they finally discovered him. He was in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, discussing deep questions with them. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 His parents didn't know what to think. "Son!" his mother said to him. "Why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been frantic, searching for you everywhere." 49 "But why did you need to search?" he asked. "You should have known that I would be in my Father's house." F9 50 But they didn't understand what he meant. 51 Then he returned to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them; and his mother stored all these things in her heart. 52 So Jesus grew both in height and in wisdom, and he was loved by God and by all who knew him.
FOOTNOTES:F6: Or and peace on earth for all those pleasing God; some manuscripts read and peace on earth, goodwill among people. F7: Exod 13:2. F8: Lev 12:8. F9: Or "Didn't you realize that I should be involved with my Father's affairs?"
The New Living Translation
~Lena’s Journalin’~
She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth??? Many have said that He was born in the Springtime and he was in the desert. Have you ever heard of wrapping an infant with strips of cloth? What does that make you think of? It makes me think of burial preparation, and she put Him in a manger, which is a feeding trough, a place where animals devour or consume their food! Because there was no room for THEM, in the Inn…..His mother was quite prophetic, even the day of His birth. She prepared Him for death, and burial and gave Him to dwell where He’d be consumed or devoured by animals. I wonder if this was an odd occurrence for the Shepherds who would visit, it must have been significant for the angels to tell the shepherds this specific thing. The Messiah, the promised King of the earth, laying in a barn where animals feed and in burial cloths, when he was just born.
Why would we so readily fear angelic visitation? Is it because we don’t usually have angelic visitation? Or because the angels carry the very awesome presence of the Most High, whom all are in awe of? The presence we’ve not been in the presence of? The presence we’ve not known intimately?
A vast host? Host refers to an army, a large force, innumerable amounts, such as the stars of the sky. Ya know they did not have TV and this sight so astonished them that they ran to The house of bread to see what was being announced. We do have TV, what are we "running" towards that is being announced in such great multitude as the stars in the sky? That astonishes us as the shepherds were "astonished" at that day? If we’re astonished, are we allured? Does THAT mean there is truth? Does the astonishment lead us to God’s house (of bread) and to tend His flocks in the fields? (the field is the world) Or have we been astonished enough to leave the world alone? To go tend to a TV set? To be further astonished, but not moved towards praise of God? What causes us to run towards God’s will? His presence? What consumes us? Are we at all prepared for "burial"? (I die to my own life’s plans and goals daily, in order to pick up and life the life appointed me by God). Jesus did that. His mom "knew" something was up, she prophesied it. Do we "know" something is up enough to act differently, pecuiarly?
Only when one actually "sees" the Lord can he "die" to himself and what he has decided he is living for. How about things we’ve conceived or brought to life? Have we taken them to the Lord for dedication? Have we been willing to cut the flesh nature off of those things? Dedicating them completely over to the Lord. When we do, that’s when what we’ve brought forth will actually grow. Is Jesus, the promised Messiah, my Savior and Lord, growing up inside of me, is His stature changing in me. Is He gaing wisdom in me? How about favor? Is there favor in my life, because He lives in me? If not, there has to be a flesh nature removal and a death to my own plans or goals, and maybe, just maybe what has been astonishing me is responsible for my inability to cut off the flesh’s desires. I’m already astonished, why would I need anything else? Change. I’m already in awe, why would I look for God’s presence? Change. I’m already looking at "gods", why would I seek to see God’s face? Life- eternal life, is trying to be stolen from you, you- I need change! A Change of images.