In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
God used a census decreed by a Roman leader to fulfill what the prophet Micah wrote about the Messiah being born in Bethlehem.
But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.
God can and does direct the events in history toward His purposes. How this all works with our free will is fascinating to me, and not altogether understandable. Nevertheless, when Jesus was asked ‘where ya from’, his answer would have been – I was born in Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth, but I did spend some early years in Egypt. All were expressions of what the prophets foretold. Amazing.
Am I seeing the hand of God in my events of my life? Do I see that ‘where i am from’, is a big part of God’s plan for me?
God, more important today is perhaps… where am I going? I am going with You and for You, wherever You desire. Thank you for leading me on this incredible journey. I know where I am from! And I know where I am going.
