Each Christmas, when it comes time to decorate the house for Christmas, I go through boxes of ornaments.
A collection of ceramic and wood angels are kept in one box. We place them on our bookshelves and mantle. A small wooden stable with a set of miniature animals and people is hidden in a box that I look forward to opening.
Sometimes called a creche or a manger scene, it reenacts the Christmas story. There have been creches that fit into a shoebox, and there have been others that can be found that are nearly life-size. The figurines of Mary, Joseph, and other characters are oriented toward the Christ-child in the manger regardless of their size.
Have you ever wondered who thought up the first creche idea? Historiographers credit St. Francis, who was born in 1282-1226 A.D., with the idea for the first Christmas Crib. It was a simple manger that had a doll inside. Older adults brought their prayers and children brought gifts. Later, animals were borrowed from neighbours to add to the scene.
When I see a creche, it reminds me of “Away in a Manger,” a Christmas carol that I love. It is a poem from a Lutheran Sunday School book published in Philadelphia in 1885.
The first two verses in “Away in a Manger”, appeared anonymously in “Little Children’s Book for Schools and Families”. Verse three was composed by John Thomas McFarland, a Methodist minister, for a church children’s program.
The last place you would expect to find a baby is a manger. It’s like a feeding-box. It’s a “testament of wood and straw” that was used by shepherds to worship the infant King.
Sometimes I wonder if “Away in a Manger” should have another verse. Or at the very least, a different title. It might be called “The Way in a Manger.” Jesus stated, “I am The Way, The Truth, and the Life: No one comes unto God but through me” (John 14,:6). Jesus Christ is the only way to God. I tried writing a new verse for “Away in a Manger” several years ago with the names.
“The way in a manger, The truth and the life, God’s Son dwelt among us, Our Lord Jesus Christ, The light of the world, The King of all kings, Our Savior, Redeemer, and Prince of Peace.” (Copyright2012JanWhite)
The story of a missionary who traveled to remote villages to train church leaders is told. Because it was impossible to get to this remote area by foot, a guide was chosen to accompany him.
The journey began without any difficulty; it was straightforward. The guide quickly cut through the jungle undergrowth, making the path disappear.
The missionary became concerned and asked “Where is my path?” The guide smiled, and then he said, “I am your path to God.” This Christmas season, if you pass a creche, may it remind of “The Way” in the manger.
Jan White has collected a selection of her columns in her book “Everyday Faith for Daily Life.”
The post God’s way is in the manger was first published on The Andalusia-Star-News.
