I was working on the short message for our Christmas Eve service and was struck again about how that familiar section in the Gospel of Luke starts. It simply says that at that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census be taken throughout the Roman Empire. Augustus was passionate about the financial accounting of his
empire. The census was taken to aid the military draft but also for tax collection. Jewish males were exempt from Roman military service, but they certainly had to pay taxes. And they came up with a plan for everyone to return to their ancestral towns to register for this census. Joseph was a descendant of King David and so he and Mary, who was close to giving birth, came with him. The trip for the two of them would be around 75 miles. He and Mary might have been thinking “God, why are you allowing all this to happen? We’ve done everything you’ve asked of us. And you could not spare us having to leave home and family and travel, pregnant, by donkey just to appease this pagan, foreign ruler over our land?” I bet you’ve felt that way too. You tried to do all that God wanted you to do and then something like this is thrown at you and you ask “God, on top of everything else, now this?” Or maybe not. There was that 400-year-old promise from the prophet Micah… Micah 5:2 NLT “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” We need to remember that God controls all history. Mary and Joseph didn’t live in Bethlehem, but Jesus will be born in the town that God had promised. And he puts Mary and Joseph and Jesus right where they need to be. There will be times when life seems difficult enough and then God asks something of you that will be hard, or uncomfortable or at least an additional burden. But we need to remember that God is not ignoring you and your feelings, nor is he mad at you. But in those times he is moving you to a place physically, emotionally or spiritually to accomplish his will. And he is making you a part of his work and plan. In effect, he is making you a partner in his work and is trusting you to trust in him. So in those times when God, in essence, says “Saddle up…we are going to Bethlehem…”you are actually being called to not just serve, but to work with and alongside the king of all creation to make his plan for humanity come about. And the king always rewards those who trust him enough to do the right and the hard things, even though it may not make sense at the time. And God doesn’t forget your faithfulness and is a generous rewarder of those who partner alongside him. So in those times don’t give up, don’t back away from God, but trust him and let him make you a part of his holy history. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Romans 8:28 NLT And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ
empire. The census was taken to aid the military draft but also for tax collection. Jewish males were exempt from Roman military service, but they certainly had to pay taxes. And they came up with a plan for everyone to return to their ancestral towns to register for this census. Joseph was a descendant of King David and so he and Mary, who was close to giving birth, came with him. The trip for the two of them would be around 75 miles. He and Mary might have been thinking “God, why are you allowing all this to happen? We’ve done everything you’ve asked of us. And you could not spare us having to leave home and family and travel, pregnant, by donkey just to appease this pagan, foreign ruler over our land?” I bet you’ve felt that way too. You tried to do all that God wanted you to do and then something like this is thrown at you and you ask “God, on top of everything else, now this?” Or maybe not. There was that 400-year-old promise from the prophet Micah… Micah 5:2 NLT “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” We need to remember that God controls all history. Mary and Joseph didn’t live in Bethlehem, but Jesus will be born in the town that God had promised. And he puts Mary and Joseph and Jesus right where they need to be. There will be times when life seems difficult enough and then God asks something of you that will be hard, or uncomfortable or at least an additional burden. But we need to remember that God is not ignoring you and your feelings, nor is he mad at you. But in those times he is moving you to a place physically, emotionally or spiritually to accomplish his will. And he is making you a part of his work and plan. In effect, he is making you a partner in his work and is trusting you to trust in him. So in those times when God, in essence, says “Saddle up…we are going to Bethlehem…”you are actually being called to not just serve, but to work with and alongside the king of all creation to make his plan for humanity come about. And the king always rewards those who trust him enough to do the right and the hard things, even though it may not make sense at the time. And God doesn’t forget your faithfulness and is a generous rewarder of those who partner alongside him. So in those times don’t give up, don’t back away from God, but trust him and let him make you a part of his holy history. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Romans 8:28 NLT And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ