Only 4 more days 'til Christmas - where has the time gone?
I found this article in "In Touch" magazine - it's the December 2007 edition. My mom subscribes to it and I've been visiting my mom - so, thanks Mom, for helping me out here!!
"A Lesson Learned From Jesus' Birth"
READ: Luke 2:1-7 1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Every portion of Scripture is significant. (2 Timothy 3:16). It can be surprising to discover what favorite Bible stories reveal about God. For instance, many families have a Christmas tradition of reading the account of Jesus' birth. The words are a comforting reminder that Christ came to earth to die for our sins. But the details of His birth also teach us that what may appear unimportant can have far-reaching consequences.
Some people of Jesus' time expected the Messiah to be a man of power and standing, who would free the Jewish nation from Roman rule. But the Savior of the world, whose life, death, and resurrection would have eternal impact, was born into lowly circumstances. Neither Joseph nor Mary had position or power, and even Jesus' birth city of Bethlehem was politically unimportant. Those who were keeping vigil for a Messiah with wordly status no doubt missed the Savior when He came.
Modern believers shouldn't scoff at the shortsightedness of Jesus' contemporaries. Like them, we often ignore the seemingly insignificant while waiting for God to do something dramatic. Our attention can be so focused on our situation and how we want it to resolve that we miss the Lord at work in unexpected ways.
EARLY LIGHT: The saints of God are called to live with eyes and hearts open to His guidance. When we seek His will and commit to following Him in everything, we will not miss opportunities to obey Him. And our obedience, even in matters that seem trival, does have eternal consequences.