Caught up in God's plans
People in the nativity story were caught up in God's purposes in different ways.Zechariah & Elizabeth were faithful people of God with lifelong longings & hope but who never saw the bigger picture. The last years of their lives were a true fulfilment of hopes and dreams. Mary was a youngster open to God but who could never be truly prepared for the huge stigma & change of life plans that came with partnering with the Lord. Joseph too was being forced to adjust to what God was doing until a heavenly dream brought him peace and the courage to cooperate with God.
The shepherds had an encounter of a lifetime that brought about an amazing witness. They may never have been touched like that before or afterwards, but just one touch from heaven gave a burning testimony to God's glory in their community. The wise men made a discovery in the stars, and had to follow trough an urge to make a pilgrimage of a lifetime drawn by a God they didn't know and played their part in a bigger drama which they never understood in their lifetime.
I believe that we too are in the season of finding ourselves in the middle of something bigger of God. There is an acceleration of kingdom activity - light in darkness - and we are being called to 'arise and shine for our light has come'. Living in revival outpourings of the Spirit and a spiritual harvest will for different ones of us be the fulfilment of our hopes, a reluctant change of plans, a call to a new journey or a powerful testimony of a God encounter.
May we too play our part well and, like Mary, be truly willing to say 'let it be to me according to Your word'.
God's blessings this Christmas time.
William