An Inconvenient Journey

 

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.

—Luke 2:4

The prophets have said that God’s Son, the Messiah (or in Koine Greek, “the Christ”) would be born in Bethlehem. But, Jesus’ birth-mother lives in Nazareth, a significant distance in the opposite direction. How will God move her from where she is to where she needs to be?

That happens in our lives, too. God needs us free from our current circumstances, so that He can use us in some new venture. How does He accomplish His purpose? How does God disintangle us from the present and move us forward into the future that He has designed for us?

Dr. Luke records the lengths that God will go to do what He wants to do. It may not be convenient. It may cause heartache and distress. But, God will do whatever He chooses to do to accompish His divine purpose. Notice these words recorded in Luke 2:1-5:

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. 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.

He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

When God wants to accomplish His perfect plan, He does whatever He wants to do in order to move us to where He needs us to be. Sometimes this disruption to our normal routine is painful. But, in the end, God accomplishes His perfect plan. As hard as it may be for us to trust Him, ultimately trusting Him is always what we need to do.

Let us move out into this day remembering that God is ever faithful. Even when we do not see or understand His plan for us, we can rest in the fullness of His grace. God may have placed us on an inconvenient journey in order to accomplish His purpose. He will work in and through us to His glory. Therefore, without hesitation, we must learn to trust Him.

 

Based on a blog originally posted on Friday, December 18, 2015

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