Sunday, December 18

Luke 2:4-7

Jerry Barnett

“4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.”

As I reflect on these familiar verses, I am reminded of the Lord’s Prayer phrase that asks that God’s will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. God has a plan for our lives and He will make sure we are where we need to be in order for that plan to be realized. God needed Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem in order for the prophecies of Jesus’ birth to be fulfilled. And look how He chose to accomplish that. He has Joseph obeying an order from the civil government to travel to the City of David for the purpose of being counted in the census. Joseph and Mary probably did not want to make this journey just to be counted in the census. It was a long journey and could not have come at a more inopportune time as Mary was “with child”. Can you imagine the doubts they must have had setting out on a trip like this? Why did they go? Because they were good citizens and the government said this must done.

Often, like Mary and Joseph, we do not recognize God’s will in the things we do. We may think we are just obeying the law, following orders, or just living our lives as we see fit. But if we look for God’s grace in our lives, we often see that many things reflect God’s will at work to put us where He wants us to be for His purposes. Thus it was for Mary and Joseph. Thanks be to God that His will for a Savior to be born in Bethlehem was realized.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you that Mary and Joseph fulfilled the plan that You had for them that resulted in the birth of Your Son. Help us to be as willing to follow You and Your plan for our lives as they were. In Jesus’ name, Amen.