The Carpenter God EntrustedNäide

God in Simplicity

The birth of Jesus was not accompanied by trumpets or glamor. No one covered the floor with red carpets, nor lit the stage lighting. God came in silence, surrounded by hay, the smell of the animals and warm breaths. In the place where one least expected to see Him.

Christmas shows us that God’s glory does not require grandeur. He comes where there is a place for Him, not where it’s noisy. It is in this simple place, in poor surroundings, where the hearts are open, that God’s deepest presence is born.

Joseph was there, full of awe and wonder. Perhaps he wondered, how could the Creator of heaven and earth have chosen that particular place – that stable, that night and that family? But this is the mystery of Christmas – God comes into the most ordinary to hallow all that is human.

Later that same night, when holding the Child in his arms, he remembered his workshop back in Nazareth and the wood he used to make tables, cradles and doors – things that filled the house with life. And now he was holding the One Who had created the wood itself. And maybe it was then that he realized – God’s presence is not tied to a place – from now on every workplace, every home, every silence can become a sacred space.

Quiet questions in the workshop:

• Can I see God’s presence in simple things every day?
• How can I create a place for His silence in my heart?

Prayer:

Lord, thank You that You come not in grandeur, but in simplicity. Please, teach me to recognize You in everyday things – at work, relationships, in the tranquility of the heart. May each day of my life be a place of Your presence. Amen.