There are so many details in Scripture, and often we can miss something, especially when we are familiar with a passage.
For instance, having just celebrated Christmas, we read many passages that were familiar. Consider all God did to get Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. Consider all the people who had to travel, and all the accommodations for those people so that two people – Mary and Joseph – would get to Bethlehem for Jesus’ birth.
There are more moving parts to the birth of Jesus than we will ever know. But God had everything planned perfectly!
We know that, because we read the facts reported in Scripture, but imagine being Mary and Joseph.
They knew that Jesus was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem, but they didn’t know how God planned to accomplish this detail.
What did Mary and Joseph know?
They knew God.
They knew God kept His word perfectly.
They knew God had spoken to each of them intimately regarding their Son, His Son.
They knew they needed to wait upon God for their next steps.
God didn’t fail them, nor us! He worked through a pagan king:
Luke 2:1-3: “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.
God did all this to bring Jesus to us. He had a pagan king declare a first census that required people relocate. Amazing how our God works!
He made certain Jesus was in the right place at the right time for His birth. This is evidence of the sovereignty of God. It is evidence of His involvement in our lives. It is proof that He will keep His Word and fulfill all the remaining prophecies contained in the Bible.
God did all of this for you, and for me!
Why? Because we are valuable to Him, and not because we deserve His love and care. We are sinful people who, through our daily disobedience to His Word, prove we are undeserving of His love, mercy, and grace.
But God continues to show us His love, mercy, and grace each day. Praise His Holy Name!
I often remind myself of the truth in Psalm 103:2: “Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—”
If you are like me, I too often focus on the things that seem like benefits in this world, when I need to spend more time remembering all the benefits God offers me. His benefits don’t compare with anything the world offers.
The greatest benefit is His gift of eternal life! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
There is absolutely nothing this world could offer to compare to God’s gift of eternal life! How do we show God we appreciate this gift?
His indwelling Holy Spirit is another of His great gifts and benefits. We have God’s constant presence living within us, when Jesus is our Lord and Savior. What more could we ask for? Why are we not more at peace knowing we have the Holy Spirit to guide, protect, comfort, and so much more?
There are so many more benefits to being one of God’s true followers. But I want to make certain that we remember everything God did, and does, for us every moment of every day. We need to remember that each day He does what we might deem impossible.
Mary and Joseph could have been overwhelmed with the plans God had for them, but it doesn’t appear they ever felt that way. Instead, they pondered what God did for them, and applied what they learned, resting in His loving care.
God did all this…for you, and for me!
If you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus, I would love to talk with you! Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please feel free to share it with others!
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Copyright 2023 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.