COINCIDENCES OF CHRISTMAS

COINCIDENCES OF CHRISTMAS!

Luke 2:1-7

2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2(And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

           The events of the Nativity were manipulated by God so as to not appear divine! If man was to believe there had to be plausible deniability. There had to be reason enough NOT to believe. It would seem that God would do whatever necessary in order to aid faith but the opposite is actually true. God made it convenient to be an unbeliever so that belief, through the struggle of little evidence, might be strong.

           Why didn’t God make it easier for His Son to be born in Bethlehem? My research has revealed that the distance from Nazareth to Bethlehem is about 70 miles or about one hour in a car traveling at turnpike speeds. How long did it take for a pregnant woman to reach her destination by donkey? It must have taken at least a week at an average of three miles per hour.

           Why did “the entire world” have to be removed to their home towns to be registered? Could an angel not simply have told the couple that God wanted them to travel to Bethlehem so that the Scriptures could be fulfilled? No, Jesus would be born without any appearance of divine intervention. That is precisely why so much divine intervention was necessary. In this Christmas pageant God was the producer and director. His cast of characters was enormous.

          Could it be that the tiny details of your life are not coincidences at all? Might there actually be a divine plan after all? If you are stopped at a traffic light making you late for an appointment, could it be that you were spared the accident you witnessed along the way? Do you think it would be appropriate to thank God for the troublesome upsets in your schedule?

Dear Lord, thank you for the detours and upsets in my schedule. Thank you for being involved in what I think is coincidence. AMEN