Countdown to Christmas: 12 Days to Prepare Your HeartSample

Remember the Prophecy

Have you ever hosted a large gathering on Christmas Day?

It can take a great deal of organisation. Maybe there’s a large meal to put together, cramming every square inch of oven and fridge space. Or maybe your family hosts a Secret Santa gift exchange, with a whole lot of presents to coordinate.

When you’re the host, you have a plan in place and an awareness of everything that needs to come together. Sometimes, even what feels spontaneous to others, like a surprise visit from Santa after the Christmas lunch, is a carefully orchestrated moment.

At first glance, Luke 2:1-5 may not seem particularly important in this story, but the details reveal just how intentionally God had been orchestrating the events leading up to the birth of Jesus.

Joseph and Mary travelled about 145 km from Nazareth to Bethlehem. It was a journey of 5 to 10 days, depending on the heat, the road conditions, and the level of swelling in your feet. You can imagine that they lagged behind other travellers, arriving late and running low on options for accommodation.

However, as always, God brought them to the right place at the right time for the fulfillment of His promise.

1,000 years before Jesus was born, Samuel prophesied that God would establish a kingdom through David’s offspring (2 Samuel 7:12-13).

700 years before Jesus was born, Isaiah prophesied the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14).

650 years before Jesus was born, Micah prophesied the Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

Whilst Joseph and Mary may have felt out of place and unprepared, God knew the location, the time, and the plan for the birth of His son, prophesied long ago.

Reflect: Where might God be working in your life that you might not yet see?

Pray: God, I might not always understand what's going on, but thank you that you are always Good. Fulfill your plans in my life. I trust you with the outcome, even if it's not what I envisioned.