Quick! What comes to mind when you think of that first Christmas in Bethlehem?
Most of us probably picture a semi-circle of sheep, cows and donkeys that seem transfixed as they gaze at those human intruders into their world.
Mary and Joseph are beaming their love at the newborn Baby, while a bright star overhead shines its light directly on the stable.
How lovely, we think.
Reality would not have been so neat and tidy.
I've been around cows and sheep. Yes, that stable would have provided shelter from the cold night air--and warmth. The animals would have given off heat.
Animals give off something else, too. Let's just say that stable would not have smelled of incense or fragrant spices.
Mary and Joseph never would have chosen such a place.
Yet that lowly stable was God's appointed place for them that night.
Sometimes life is like that for us too, isn't it?
Even when we trust in God. Even when we're doing what we believe is right. Living our faith. Believing. Trusting. We end up in a place we didn't choose and we think, that's not right.
Days or months or years later we see the pattern.
Think how often we pray and then make what seems a good move. Maybe we go to the right.
God, however, has another direction in mind. Somehow before long we find ourselves going left.
It's disconcerting because it reminds us we're not as much in charge of our lives as we think we are.
This turns out to be a very good thing
My husband and I got a big lesson in how this works some time ago. For many years we operated a successful modern dairy-grain farm in central Illinois. Life was good.
Then a series of events and people contacts came together in a remarkable way and we left it all behind. Lots of prayer went into that decision. and we knew, absolutely knew, that God was leading us.
For awhile that seemed true and we brimmed over with praise and joy.
Then one thing after another fizzled out. There we were, asking Why? It made no sense.
At the time.
Later we could see God's leading in all the twists and turns. Had our original plans worked out we never would have arrived in the good place God planned for us.
Through it all we learned to trust Him in a deeper way than ever before.
We came to understand He knows the way, even we think we're lost
Joseph and Mary believed God in what seemed an impossible situation. They believed He went before them, no matter what.
Yet there they were, on that journey to Bethlehem because the Emperor decreed every citizen must go to their town of origin. No exceptions.
Joseph walked, leading the donkey while Mary, in her ninth month of pregnancy, gratefully sat on its back.
Even before they reached Bethlehem she felt the first pangs of labor. Despite Joseph's frantic search, there was no room for them but in that stable.
And God lit up that humble place with His light and His love.
(Read the Christmas story for yourself in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20.)
He can light up our lowly places, too
Every one of us occasionally spends time in situations we would not have chosen. All we can do is keep walking and pray God will bring good out of our pain and confusion.
Christmas reminds us nothing is impossible with God.
Because Jesus was born that night you and I can have hope in the midst of our dark times, the times we can't see the way ahead but still must keep on walking.
God comes to us at just the right time, just as He did in Bethlehem that starry night long ago.
Jesus is the Light who shines His love and peace into our darkness.
Each of us has reason to say "Merry Christ-mas!" and that's my wish for you, my friend!
Warmly,
Lenore
