About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family. Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, and while they were there, she gave birth to her first-born son. She dressed him in baby clothes and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2: 1 - 7
When the Roman Emperor Augustus made the decision to require everyone to go to their hometown to record their names on a list, he was simply a pawn in the plan of God! The prophets had predicted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem and the Will of God orchestrated human events to make that happen! If Mary had been engaged to someone other than Joseph the Bethlehem birth might not have happened. It was important that she was engaged to a man who would have to take her to Bethlehem at the time when Jesus was due!
How does mankind have “free will” and still be used by God to accomplish His will on planet earth? The answer to that question is perhaps one of life’s most difficult things to ponder. A simple answer would be that you do have the freedom to reject Jesus, but not the freedom to keep Him from using you to accomplish His ultimate purposes on this earth!
The choice you have is this: You can be used by God like Augustus was and you will do things that further His goals without even knowing it. Or you can be like Mary and Joseph and willingly yield to the Will of God in your life as you choose to belong to Him! Either way, God will use you, but being His willing servant will yield an Eternal Blessing!
“Lord Jesus, may I today be one of those who chooses to be used by You in everything I do, so that You may be Glorified now and forever. Amen.”
No comments:
Post a Comment