A Way In The Manger

When all of the wheat has been safely gathered in, the stalks and chaff are bound into bundles of straw. This straw gets burned, or spread out in the barns to be trampled upon, or fed to the animals. But on a certain night some two thousand years ago, some of that straw was placed in a manger to be with the Savior of the world. We may often feel that because of our choices we have been separated out from the wheat and bundled up with the rest of the straw to either be burned, or trampled underfoot or else fed to the animals. Like chaff in the wind, we may feel lost, alone, unloved and unvalued. But there is always hope. Even if we have rebelled, even if it seems like we have gone past the point of no return, even if we are certain that we will never be worthy to be gathered into the storehouse with the rest of the wheat, that is not the end. There is a way in the manger for us to be cleansed and sanctified and redeemed. The straw that cradled our Redeemer was made holy when it was brought into His presence. It had been separated out from the wheat but it had been preserved for a glorious purpose. Because a babe was placed upon straw in a manger two thousand years ago, all of us have the chance to be saved and preserved for a purpose far holier and more wonderful than we ever could have imagined. Just because we've been turned into straw does not mean we have missed our chance to be with our Savior. There is a way in the manger for us to be with our Savior.