Friday, December
9, 2022
THE VAGABOND JESUS!
Matt
8:19-20
19 And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I
will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
20 And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the
birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
The
Christmas Story reveals Jesus to be a vagabond. The
dictionary definition of vagabond is “wandering and homeless.” Even when He was
in Mary’s womb he was driven from home by an edict from a cruel and unfeeling
ruler bent only on more money and more power. Why, even his announcing star was
a wandering star!
The donkey
carried heaven’s darling child 90 miles to the city
of Joseph's ancestors: south along the flatlands of the Jordan River, then west
over the hills surrounding Jerusalem, and on into Bethlehem. It was a grueling
trip made even more uncomfortable by near motherhood. When they arrived, the village had no room
for Him. Bethlehem might have welcomed him as it did Ruth and Naomi long ago
but, alas, the town’s store of welcome had been exhausted by the flood of
visitors. The innkeeper was not so much cruel as he was spent! The only
room was a stable, but it was enough.
Jesus was
driven even from these humble
accommodations by the warning of the angel that Herod would try to kill the
newborn. So, Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt where Joseph fashioned a life for
the family. Housing had to be secured along with a place to for a carpenter’s shop.
The family remained in exile until the angel returned to tell that it was safe
to return home.
When Jesus
had grown to manhood, he began an itinerant ministry that
often found him sleeping under the olives in Gethsemane with his small band of
followers. The comforts of heaven and the adoring host of angels must have
seemed far away. He resorted to Bethany from time to time and accepted the
hospitality of Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha but otherwise he was
tossed like a leaf in the wind.
How many had
previously died on the rough wood of Jesus’ cross
none can truly know, but even in death he had no place to lay his head. A
borrowed tomb held him.
Christmas is
a time for the home-seekers.
It is a time of travel when the heart longs for home and hearts often journey where
feet can’t go. Believers in Jesus understand that they also are vagabonds.
Heb
13:14
14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to
come.
Dear Lord, satisfy all those who are homesick. Give them the
comfort of your own Spirit. AMEN
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