Luke 2:4 NLT “And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee.”
Imagine being a carpenter, about to be married, your wife is pregnant and it isn’t your child, but you have been told by angels that it is from the Holy Spirit, and you should remain with your wife even though everyone in the village knows that she became pregnant before she was married. Everyone knows the child is not yours and everyone knows that you should have left her.
Now, imagine, that you are in a country that is occupied by the Romans and these Romans absolutely despise you and wish that you did not exist. They tax you as much as they possibly can and still treat you like garbage, literally.
On top of that, you are fairly low on money at this moment, and you are forced to take a long trip to a different city simply to register for the census. And, finally, your wife is very pregnant and you have to convince her to travel with you and you are responsible for her health and safety on the trip.
This sounds absolutely terrible doesn’t it?
There is shame, uncertainty, fear, and simple frustration involved.
Yet, I have made a promise. I have promised that a child will be born who will save the world.
And so, out of complete obedience you shoulder the shame spoken over you by the gossiping Jews who see you and your wife ride by and you go to Bethlehem.
When you get there none of your relatives allow you into their homes because of the shame it will bring onto them, there is no room at a hotel. Imagine the frustration, the questions you have for Me, the complete rage that would be burning inside of you. Imagine how uncomfortable Mary was and how scared she might have been.
The story sounds beautiful when it is read years later but it was a truly awful situation.
Why do I ask My people to suffer in this way sometimes?
I do not. I do not ask My people to suffer in this way. It is the ego of the Roman rulers that caused this incredible discomfort and yet, I used it to fulfill a prophecy, that My child would be born in Bethlehem.
When you follow Me it is essential that you truly believe that I have what is best for you in mind and that anything less than perfect is due to sin. When you believe this over all else it causes it to be easier to obey, which allows you to live the life that you are meant to live. It allows My plans for you to come to fruition (Jeremiah 29:11) when they would not otherwise.
Your obedience, regardless of the sin in the world, is essential and so that is why I emphasize it in the bible. I ask you repeatedly to obey Me and to know that I will be faithful.
In this verse Joseph and Mary have 2 options:
- Wonder what is going on. Doubt My plans. Question whether I will take care of them. Focus on how terrible things are.
- Know that I have a plan. Know that I WILL take care of them. Know that even when things feel terrible, when you obey and love Me I lift your spirits and make you more resilient than you can be on your own.
You have this choice also.
Pick the thing that is bothering you the most in your life.
Give it to Me. Knowing very clearly that I WILL take care of it for you. Go along on your journey in confidence that I will take care of the situation. I will and by having this confidence you strengthen your faith and you actually make the situation much more enjoyable.
Paul and Silas sang and worshipped Me while they were in jail with their feet in stocks (Acts 16:25). They knew I had made them promises. They were uncomfortable, very uncomfortable, and yet they KNEW that I would not leave them or forsake them.
The pain you feel has more to do with the judgement that you put on the pain you feel than it does on the actual pain. You question Me and wonder if I am real and if I am true and if I will fulfill My promises to you and so you increase the mental pain and anguish that you suffer.
Trust Me, love Me and believe in Me and your experience of this world will change 100%!
I believe this is a message to us from God, written from His perspective – Sherri
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