WHERE IS GOD LEADING YOU THIS CHRISTMAS EVE?

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

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. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born.

Luke 2:1-6

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Christmas Eve is here. So what are you doing today?

Some of you are probably traveling or getting ready to travel to be with family or friends tomorrow.

Some of you might be counted in the scores of people who will be out shopping for last minute gifts to lavish on those you love.

Still others may be opting to stay home today, wrapping gifts and enjoying a peace-filled day which may culminate with a church worship service as we prepare for Christ’s coming.

In the midst of all our Christmas Eve activities, I think we would be remiss to not remember where Joseph and his pregnant fiancée Mary were on Christmas Eve.

The couple was nearing arrival in Bethlehem, a three day journey from Nazareth, the town they had departed which was located in Galilee. They were traveling on Christmas Eve not to visit friends or family but rather to answer an order from the Roman ruler Caesar Augustus (you’ll recall that Israel was under the oppressive rule of the Roman Empire at this time).

Caesar had issued a decree for a census to be taken of the entire Roman world, a census which required people to return to their own town, their town of ancestral origin. For Joseph, that town was Bethlehem which was in Judea and about seven miles to the south of the holy city of Jerusalem. Of interest, Bethlehem was also the town where David, Israel’s greatest king before Jesus, the King of kings, was born.

Scriptures tell us that Joseph belonged to the house of David and so he set out with Mary to register in Bethlehem, despite the fact that she was soon to deliver. The journey couldn’t have been an easy one. It’s never comfortable to be that far along in pregnancy and I can’t imagine the difficulty Mary must have endured in traveling such a long distance in her condition. I’m sure Mary would have rather been home resting and conserving her strength for the childbirth moment but God had her right where He wanted her (and Joseph) to be. For although they were going to answer the call of Caesar, they were really going because it was all part of God’s remarkable, amazing plan.

So where is God leading you this Christmas eve? Have you taken time to consider what He might want to do in and through you on this special day?

Well, Joseph and Mary did arrive safely in Bethlehem to register but they wouldn’t make it back to their families in Nazareth before Jesus would enter into creation. For our scripture passage tells us that while Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for the baby to be born.

Friends, this wasn’t just some random time and occurrence, not some coincidence that Jesus would be born in a manger in Bethlehem because there was no room for them in the inn. No, all this happened in the time and place it did according to God’s perfectly ordered plan.

God had Joseph and Mary entering Bethlehem for a reason on Christmas Eve, a reason that would change our lives forever. As you consider what you might do this day, please weigh in with God and see where He would like to lead you. You never know what that might bring.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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