Have you ever had great plans for something special
and suddenly, without any advance warning, circumstances change and the plans
are changed. We have all been through
that at times; it may have been family issues, job status, financial situations
or it might have been a life-long goal.
We know the disappointments that accompany this change, especially if
the friends and relatives know of the plan.
It’s difficult to explain to them how things changed so quickly. Now look at Mary and Joseph and think of the
situation they were in when the angel appeared to them.
Mary and Joseph had great wedding plans. They were going through the traditions and
customs of the times and all of a sudden something changed the plan
entirely—God entered into the plans. Can
you, for just a moment put yourself into Mary’s position? Here she was most likely about fourteen years
old and was still a virgin and now something special happened to her. The angel
appeared to her and said, “Don't be afraid,
Mary,…for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a
son, and you will name him Jesus.”[1] Imagine the
turmoil within her life trying to decide when and how to tell her parents and
especially Joseph about the encounter with the angels and that the conception
would be by the Holy Spirit.
Now put yourself into
Joseph’s position and try to understand this.
After all, he was going to take as much ridicule as Mary. I’m sure his parents and friends did not and
would not even believe his explanation. While
Joseph thought about it, he first of all thought about how to get out of the
engagement. “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to
take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy
Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for
he shall save his people from their sins.”[2]
What a difference it made
when Mary and Joseph were willing to follow God’s plan for their lives rather
than following the traditions and customs of the time. Was it easy? No! Did it make any sense to
them? No! Did they ever question the plan? Yes! Because they followed the plan,
the whole world is now benefiting because of JESUS.
Christmas is a great time
for each of us to ask, “Have I allowed God to enter into my life-plans and lead
me in the direction that is best for me and those around? Most of us have plans for what we want to
accomplish in life, but is God in the plans?
What a difference it makes when we listen to the voice of the Lord and
hear Him say, “For I know the plans I have for you,…They
are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”[3]
This
Christmas, let’s again, invite Him to lead us into the plan that He has for us. He may want to take us to a new direction to
which we’ve never gone. One thing for sure, He will never take us to a place
that is not best for us! We may think that we know best but the scripture tells
us, “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed
against the Lord.”[4]
If your personal plans have been shattered, listen to the voice
of God and find what He has in store for you. He will direct—if we are willing to
follow.
“For unto you is
born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” KJV
Merry Christmas!
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