Perfect Timing

Have you experienced a decree stating you are to do something you would rather not do? Did it come from upper management at your place of work? Was it a government mandate you didn’t agree with? What was your reaction? How did the mandate work out in the end?

We sometimes wonder how upper management came to a decision that passed down a mandate that simply doesn’t make sense to us. We gripe and grumble about it. We may be tempted to ignore it. Yet, in the end, we often have no choice but to obey it.

We may discover much later that the mandate was done for a reason, and it worked to the good of the company or country. We didn’t foresee how it would play out. We thought it didn’t make sense. But perhaps months or years later, it made complete sense. As we reflect on how it worked and the good that came from it, we see what upper management saw when they instituted it.

I’m sure Mary and Joseph were not thrilled about the mandate Emperor Augustus handed down. They may have thought it would have been fine if it had come a few months earlier or a few months later. The timing was not right for Mary to travel about one-hundred miles. On the other hand, they may have had purer thoughts, thinking that God was in control and there was a reason for the mandate. As it turned out, God did have a reason for the mandate.

Prophecy stated the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. Both Mary and Joseph were descended from the line of David. Therefore, they were required to travel to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. The timing was perfect. Jesus was born exactly where God intended Him to be born.

We can learn a lesson from Mary and Joseph’s experience. God is in control. His timing is impeccable. We may not understand it until much later. But make no mistake about it, God is executing his plan in our midst. Much like Mary and Joseph, we merely need to trust in God and obey the mandates passed down to us.

I pray we all learn the lesson of Mary and Joseph. I pray we trust that God is executing his plan. I pray each one of us will obey mandates, go where we are called, and do what we are called to do. Learn from Mary and Joseph. Trust God is in control. Know God has impeccable timing. Hold on to your faith.

Luke 2:1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered.

Magnify the Lord

Giving God the glory he deserves can easily slip our minds this time of year. We are busy preparing for gatherings, special services, and Christmas day. We scurry about trying to ensure everything is perfect. We cram in several places to be and many people to meet.

But what was it like to be Mary carrying the unborn Jesus? Have you spent any time thinking about her situation? Have you tried to put yourself in her place? Have you read her song of praise to God for what he had done in her life? Perhaps you should take time to do so.

When Mary heard that her relative, perhaps a distant cousin, was also expecting a baby boy in her old age, Mary took off to go see her. When she arrived at Elizabeth’s house, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and humbled herself before Mary. She also blessed Mary and told her that even the baby she was carrying had jumped within her when Mary arrived.

What was Mary’s reaction? She sang a song of praise (Luke 1:46-55). Not only is her song a song of praise, but it is a song of remembrance and prophecy. She remembers what God has done in the past and states what God will do in the future. The only explanation for her song is she was filled with the Holy Spirit, too.

How did this happen? Mary was humble, accepting God’s plan for her life. Though she was a young girl, perhaps between the age of twelve and fifteen, she was already mature enough in her faith to trust God was at work for her good. Mary may not have understood God’s entire plan nor exactly how things would play out with her forthcoming son, but she trusted God.

We, too, can trust God, just as Mary did. We are told that God works for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). Jesus promised us that whatever we ask in His name He will do so the Father will be glorified (John 14:13-14). Our trust in God, understanding his will for our lives, and asking in Jesus’ name will provide us with confidence of God working for our good.

I pray we all humble ourselves before God. I pray we trust God is working for our good. I pray each one of us will ask in accordance with God’s will and in Jesus’ name for whatever we need. Humble yourself before God. Trust God is working for your good. Ask in accordance with God’s will. Sing praises to God. Give God the glory.

Luke 1:46-48a And Mary said, 

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 

for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.”

Unexpected News

Have you ever received stunning news? Was it unexpected bad news that came out of the blue? Or was it good news that excited you to the point of jumping for joy? Have you not received that kind of news? How do you think you would feel if you were in Mary’s sandals?

We receive unexpected bad news at times. I can still remember the shock that went through me when I received the unexpected news a few years ago that I was fired from my job. I had never experienced something like that in all my fifty-six years. To say I was caught off guard is an understatement.

We may also receive unexpected good news. I have wondered what people who win millions of dollars in the lottery feel. Of course, as I’ve matured, I have also thought that may not be good news. But many in our world would consider it exceptional news. They begin thinking about all the things they can buy with all that money. Therein lies the problem with winning the lottery.

Mary received unexpected news. Gabriel suddenly appeared to her and tells her she is going to have a baby. If that is not enough, he tells her what to name the child and how great her baby boy will be. Since Mary was not yet married, I’m sure there were all sorts of things running through her mind. What will my mother and father think? Will they kick me out of the house? What will the neighbors think? Will I be allowed to go to the market again? And, of course, the question she asked Gabriel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1:34).

Just as Mary likely had several questions, we may have questions when God does something unexpected in our lives. But we must react just as Mary did. She humbly submitted to God’s plan and continued in her faith. We must trust that God has something good planned for us, even if it takes a while for it to be fully revealed to us.

I pray we all believe God’s plan is for our good. I pray we humbly submit to God’s plan. I pray each one of us will react as Mary did, continuing in our faith, and being joyful that God is using us. Expect the unexpected. Know that God has a plan. Humbly submit to God. Continue in your faith.

Luke 1:31-33 “And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Angelic Presence

How do you think you might react if you were to encounter an angel? What if it was not just any angel, but the angel of the Lord? What if it was the special angel God always sent to bring a message to someone he specifically chose? Would you be able to stand or fall on your knees?

It is not common for us to encounter angels. In fact, it is extremely rare. It is even more rare for Gabriel to bring a message to someone. As we scour the pages of Scripture, we only see Gabriel bring messages to people who have been chosen by God to complete a specific task.

We only see two angels specifically named in Scripture. Michael is only mentioned when there is a battle against evil. We may even think of him as God’s enforcer against evil. On the other hand, Gabriel is God’s chosen messenger. We see him bring messages to a variety of people, including both Mary and Joseph.

Do not think Gabriel is any less powerful than Michael. I’m sure there is an awesome presence about him. If he were to suddenly appear to us, we would immediately recognize his power and presence. We would also know that he was sent to us by God. We would likely be overcome by a desire to fall to our knees. We would immediately realize we were no match for him.

Mary saw Gabriel face-to-face. I can only imagine that she was shook. How would we react to Gabriel suddenly appearing to us? That might be a good question for us to ponder. Being in the presence of God’s messenger is not something to take lightly. It would be even more knee-bending to be in the presence of Jesus. Imagine being in the very presence of God, being face-to-face with him.

I pray we all take a moment to imagine what it would be like to be face-to-face with God. I pray we ponder the thought of being in Mary’s sandals. I pray each one of us realize the awesome presence of an angel and Jesus Christ. Realize the power of God. Be in awe of angelic encounters. Know that one day you will stand before God face-to-face.

Luke 1:26-27 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Special Knowledge

Let’s follow up yesterday’s thought by continuing to recognize who Jesus is. Have you considered we have knowledge today about Jesus the prophets of old longed to know? Do you know the revelation of Jesus is the revealing of a mystery long kept a secret by God?

Though God had provided prophecies through several prophets concerning the coming of the Messiah, those prophecies were just glimpses. There was no single prophecy that stated exactly when Jesus would come into this world nor all that He would do while He was here.

The Gospel writers pointed to prophecies to prove Jesus was the One who was to come, Matthew more than any other. The other writers of the New Testament continued to provide insight into who Jesus is, especially Paul and Peter. John’s Revelation also reveals who Jesus is, even if we do not fully comprehend the apocalyptic language.

It is a challenge for us in today’s culture to comprehend the magnificence and supernaturalness of Jesus. We have grown used to being able to explain everything through science. However, science cannot explain the supernatural, meaning God. No, we can only accept God’s plan and his working in our lives through faith and by experience.

The Apostle Paul had many experiences with God. He encountered the risen Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) and confirms that God revealed Jesus to him in Galatians 1:15-17. We may think experiencing Jesus is confined to the apostles or other great men and women of faith. We could not be more misguided. Every person who has accepted Jesus as their Savior can and should experience Him in their lives. It is a matter of opening our eyes, being aware of God, and giving him thanks for working in our lives.

I pray we all open our eyes to see God at work. I pray we seek to learn more about Jesus. I pray each one of us experience and recognize both God’s small and mighty acts all around us. Know you can obtain special knowledge of Jesus. See God working in your life. Recognize God’s works. Ask God to reveal his works to you.

Romans 16:25-27 Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed, and through the prophetic writings is made known to all the Gentiles, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen.

In the Beginning

When you celebrate Christmas, what are you celebrating? Do you look forward to all the presents? Do you receive joy from giving to others? Have you considered who you should be celebrating? Do you know the importance of the meaning of Jesus coming into this world?

We can get caught up in the glitz and glamor of the world’s view of Christmas. We shop to get the perfect gifts. We put up the tree, lights, and many decorations. We attend parties, throw parties, and bounce from place to place. On the go with little time to sit and reflect.

Have we lost sight of the reason to celebrate? We know we celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas. But do we truly realize who He is? Perhaps we can look at the first verse of Genesis and the first verse of John to get a better understanding. Genesis 1:1 starts with “In the beginning.” It speaks to God creating the world at the beginning of time.

John 1:1 starts with “In the beginning.” Unlike Genesis, John’s beginning goes beyond the beginning of time. He states that the Word was with God and was God. John continues by stating that all things were created through Him. Later in his first chapter, John tells us the Word became flesh—Jesus Christ. Simply put, Jesus has always existed. Through Him all of creation was created.

On Christmas day, we celebrate the human birth of Jesus. The One who existed before time chose to step into time. He chose to become human to both experience what we experience and to save us from ourselves. We know that He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. It is Him that we celebrate. We celebrate on Christmas day the Creator who stepped into His creation. What could be more glorious and what could be a better reason for celebrating?

I pray we all realize who we celebrate on Christmas day. I pray we slow down and make time to reflect. I pray each one of us see Jesus for who He is and celebrate Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. Know who Jesus is. See Jesus as King of kings. Celebrate Jesus on Christmas day.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth,

The Voice

Do you remember the most famous town cryer in our country’s history—Paul Revere? Do you remember the message he cried out? How do you think you might have reacted if you had heard it in person during that time of turmoil?

We don’t have town cryer’s today. We have all-day news sources. By being inundated with news, which often being mundane, we have lost the sense of importance and urgency of news. We have lost our ability to discern what is truly important.

In the first century, a town cryer or prophet brought important news that was often urgent. People stopped to hear the news and reacted almost immediately to it. If there was a king about to enter the city, the people quickly prepared themselves for his arrival.

John was the combination of a town cryer and a prophet. He was declaring the coming of the Lord. His message was urgent. The people were to prepare their hearts, not their minds, for His arrival. They were to be ready to hear the message the Lord would bring.

I wonder, in our loss of importance and urgency, if our hearts are prepared for His message. John still cries out for us to prepare ourselves. Jesus still brings the message of the Lord. We need to prepare our hearts to receive His message and react appropriately to it. May we be willing to listen and follow Him.

I pray we all prepare our hearts for the Lord. I pray we receive the message of Jesus. I pray each one of us are willing to hear both John and Jesus as we live each day of our lives. Prepare your heart for the Lord. Listen to John’s words. Listen to Jesus’ words. Accept the message of God. Commit to following Jesus.

John 1:23 He said, 

“I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 

‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ ” 

as the prophet Isaiah said.

Plow, Plant, Water

What do you think about when someone says they will testify? Do you think of criminal cases and courtrooms? Are you reminded of a previous experience? Do you think of a witness of an auto accident? Have you thought it can also apply to telling others about Jesus?

There are many ways in which we testify. We are witness to more than we recognize. We see and hear things all day long. Many of them occur while we are working our jobs. Others occur while in a grocery store or within our homes. We do not often think of those times as being witnesses.

John was sent ahead of Jesus to testify to His coming. He was preparing the way for Jesus’ ministry. In many ways, John was also preparing the way for our ministry. Though he was the first to testify of Jesus, millions have followed him and continue to testify today. Have you ever thought that you are following in John’s footsteps?

We have a message to deliver. Some of us will plow the fields. Others will plant seeds. Still others will water those seeds. It is through the work of all of us that the kingdom of God grows. As we spread the message of Jesus, one or another of us will hit the right note that will bring someone into the kingdom. We each have our own way and style of communicating the message.

As we spread the message, we are not to be discouraged. If someone else gets someone to commit to Jesus after you talked to that person, celebrate. You were part of it. There will be other times when some will get someone to commit after someone else had talked to the person. It’s not about counting numbers, it’s about all of us working to spread the message.

I pray we all continue to spread the message of Jesus. I pray we plow fields, plant seeds, and water. I pray each one of us work as tirelessly as John did, trusting God to provide the strength we need. Spread the message of Jesus. Plow fields. Plant seeds. Water seeds. Celebrate when someone comes to Christ. Trust God in all things.

John 1:6-8 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.

Forever Faithful

Do you feel as though nothing is solid? Do you feel as though you are standing on shaky ground or waiting for the rug to be pulled out from under you? Are you looking for solid ground to stand on? Are you looking for something you can put your confidence in?

Our world seems to be topsy turvy. It seems as though everything is in upheaval. There are not enough workers, yet there are people who can’t find jobs. Minimum wages are increasing, but prices seem to be increasing faster. One group of people rails against another.

There are many who live in fear due to war, oppression, or discrimination. New laws are being put into effect that don’t make sense to the common person. We are confused. We feel disoriented. At the same time, we continue to marry, have children, go to school, go to work, attend family gatherings, and go to church. Normalcy mixed in with chaos.

In all that is going on, in all the confusion, there is solid ground we can stand on. If we have put our roots in Jesus Christ, we can stand like the sturdy oak. The winds may blow, the rain pour down, the freezing cold wrap around us, and we can withstand it all. God will give us the inner peace we desire. He will hold us in his arms.

God is always faithful. He will fulfill his promises. He cares for each one of us. He is with us every moment of every day, even when we might wish otherwise. With his Holy Spirit in us, side-by-side with our spirit, he knows our hearts desire and provides what we need. God’s faithfulness knows no end nor does it ever wane.

I pray we all seek to stand on solid ground. I pray we know that God is always with us. I pray each one of us put our roots in Jesus Christ and trust the Holy Spirit to guide us throughout our lives. Stand on the Rock, Jesus Christ. Know God is always with you. Trust in his promises. Know God is always faithful.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this.

Seek Understanding

Have you ever been told, “Do it because I said so”? Have you felt as though you could not question the instruction or judgment of your manager or director? What principles do you live by? Are you willing to stand on those principles regardless of the consequences?

Many of us have been told by parents to do what we are told simply because our parent told us to do it. For most of us, our parents had our best interest at heart and perhaps didn’t have time to explain the why behind their instruction. Yet, that is not always the case.

There will be times when obeying instruction or orders immediately and without question is essential. This is especially true when working in dangerous environments. It is also true for children when told not to touch the hot stove. But the line can become blurry when we work in office settings. Discerning the urgency of completing documents can be challenging. Understanding what the section manager is trying to achieve without seeing the full picture can be a challenge, if not impossible.

The Apostle Paul gives instruction to the church in Thessalonica that applies to us today. We are not to despise those who are preaching God’s Word. The term prophet is interpreted to be a preacher or pastor. At the same time, we are to test their message. How do we do that? We read God’s Word ourselves. We study it. If we have questions about what the pastor stated, ask questions, have a conversation, but don’t walk away upset or angry or confused. If there is not an immediate opportunity to discuss our questions, write them down to discuss later.

He also states we are to hold on to what is good. How do we know what is good? We study the Scriptures. We read God’s instruction, especially Jesus’ words. Unlike those in the first century, all of us can possess a copy of God’s Word. We can study. Most churches offer Sunday School and Bible studies. Participate in them and grow in your knowledge of what is good according to God and ask the questions you have about interpretation.

I pray we all spend time readings God’s Word. I pray we pay special attention to Jesus’ words. I pray each one of us seek understanding of what is good and ask our questions of interpretation of Scripture. Read God’s Word. Study God’s Word. Participate in Sunday School. Participate in Bible studies. Ask questions. Seek understanding.

1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil.