Musings From A Rolling Eyed Turtle

Bound by cloth, he appeared helpless. Bound by cloth again, he appeared to have no say in the matter. The first time, it was the swaddling cloths, those strips of cloth that are wrapped around a baby to bind them for their comfort and security. The last time, it was the burial cloths, those strips of cloth that are wrapped around a body to bind in the burial spices to mask the odors during the mourning period. The first time, the Savior entered the world as a baby. [1] The last time, the Savior left the world as a corpse. [2] The first time, the cloth was removed as the baby grew. The last time, the cloth was left behind when the Savior rose from the dead. The prophet Isaiah wrote about the things that bind:   “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound ...

Hands placed the baby in a manger.   The manger was likely made of wood and normally was a type of feeding trough for animals. Hands placed the man on a cross.   The cross was made of wood and was used to crucify those sentenced to death. A wooden manger represented a very humble environment in which to be placed.  As it was designed as a place where animals would be fed, the baby likely shared living space with animals. A wooden cross represented a very humiliating way to die.  A crucifixion was normally held in a very public place.  Since two other criminals were crucified with Him, He shared dying space with criminals. Jesus voluntarily left heaven and dwelt among mankind in human form.   Such form started out in the womb of a woman and then He first actually appeared as a baby.  By becoming human in this way, He allowed Himself to be placed in that manger. Jesus voluntarily remained among mankind through to adul...

“Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.” ( Luke 8:40) Typically, when we expect people and look forward to their visit, we welcome them when they arrive.   The context of the verse above does not really indicate why the crowd was expecting Jesus.   However, it is likely that since Jesus had been going about healing people, the crowd was expecting Him to continue to do so when He arrived.   But that expectation was for healing.   What about the overall expectations for Jesus?   And, was He welcomed by all? “He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.   He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.”   ( John 1:10-11) The welcome of all welcomes should have been there for Jesus, the one whose coming had been foretold, which included all the incredible reasons for Him to come.   But the indictment against the world was...