Experiencing God’s Sovereignty

     Her tiny body shakes uncontrollably with each cry that emanates from her lungs. Strapped in a car seat, her head alternates between bobbing from chin to chest and jerking straight up – each time with a beleaguered wail. She rubs her eyes sleepily as tears trickle down her rosy cheeks.

     The couple, faces illuminated only by the glow of the instrument panel lights, exchange weary glances…and continue down the night-enshrouded highway. Construction detours plague their path. Their simple plan has gone awry. They left at 6:30 with the intent of driving ninety minutes to the next town to spend the night. But the indigo green numbers on the dashboard tell a different tale as they scream out “11:00 p.m.!” “It wasn’t supposed to be like this,” they wonder aloud.

     Did Mary and Joseph have similar thoughts?

     Consider their journey. Within the past year they had been betrothed, promised to each other in marriage, and were excited about a future together. Then their trip slowly unraveled as the previously straight path began twisting and turning around ominous bends in the road. 

     “Highly favored? Me?” Mary thought as the angel’s message foretold of a child she would bear. How could her mind not race with at least a tinge of angst about the possible repercussions of an unwed pregnancy? “How can I tell Joseph so that he will believe me?” “What will my parents think?” “The neighbors?” “What will happen to me? “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” Yet her faith in God’s sovereignty sustained her even at the start of the trek, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

     And what about poor Joseph? Before they came together as husband and wife, he found out that Mary was pregnant. What else could he conclude? Mary, his fiancée, had been unfaithful. Talk about a detour. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” Then an angel intervened and told him the truth regarding the conception of Mary’s child.  Joseph’s faith caused him to take pregnant Mary home to be his wife.

     Yet the path to parenthood had further detours.

      “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 his own town to register.” (Luke 2:1-3)

    Roman rule held a throat-wrenching grasp on the Jewish nation. Even though this was the period of the supposed Pax Romana (Peace of Rome), it was not the ideal setting in which to birth a baby - at least not for parents who bowed to Yahweh, the One true God. For the Romans worshipped their emperors, and Caesar Augustus was no exception. He accepted the title of Pontifex Maximus or Highest Priest, the head of all religious worship. He was hailed throughout the land as the ‘savior’ and ‘god.’ Even his birthday was considered the beginning of the good news throughout the world.

     But the ruts in the road were more than spiritual. Mary would physically feel every one of the bumps, thanks to Augustus’ decree. Everyone went to his own town to register. The imperial edict demanded that every male servant of the ‘savior’ be enrolled in a tax census. Whether or not they bowed their knee to Augustus didn’t matter. A head count was underway. The Roman IRS was on the move. And so were Joseph and Mary.

     “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. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.” (Vss. 4-5)

     In obedience to the authorities God has placed over them, they go, Mary riding sidesaddle while Joseph walks and guides the donkey. The couple’s countenances seem to shout, “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.”  Yet they forge on. Mary rocks side-to-side, feeling the pockmarked landscape jolting her with each step of the animal. Joseph, brow furrowed like the landscape they travel, steals glances at Mary – awaiting the moment. The journey is slow. The tension is high…and then Bethlehem came into view.

     Yet the sovereign detours were not over yet…“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Vss. 6-7)

    “Contrary to the traditional Christmas story, the ‘inn’ was probably not an ancient hotel with rooms to rent and an innkeeper, but either a guest room in a private residence (see 22:11) or an informal public shelter where travelers would gather for the night. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, Luke uses a different term for a public inn (10:34). In any case, crowded conditions force Joseph and Mary from normal lodging to a place reserved for animals.”[1]

      How long they were in Bethlehem before the baby was born is unknown. But the time came! Mary is heavy with child, body writhing with the surge of each contraction. A look of desperation crosses her face when they spot the manger. No more time. No more looking. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” Or was it?

     Jesus gave up the glory of heaven to be born in a lowly manger. Hardly the surroundings one would expect for the King of Kings. The God of heaven who deemed that a census should be taken so that his Son would be born in Bethlehem could also have provided a luxurious birthplace. But that was not his plan.

     The Living Water and Bread of Life received life-sustaining nourishment from a teenaged mom, under the watchful eye of a surrogate dad, with a feeding trough as his resting place. Remember this next time you find yourself traveling that pock-marked path to placed unknown. Jesus not only understands…but He is traveling with you!

   Prayer

“Gracious and heavenly Father, open our eyes to the truth that you alone place rulers on the throne and you also remove them from their seats of power. You alone are the Sovereign Ruler of heaven and earth. Open our eyes, Holy Spirit, to see how you have used rulers like Caesar Augustus as a tool for your divine agenda. The one person that people thought was the savior of the world was merely a conduit through which you birthed the true Deliverer into the little town of Bethlehem. Help us to feel your presence as we journey over the daily ruts of the road – when we’re often pregnant with apprehension. Calm our fears. Let our lives be like Joseph’s and Mary’s, who willingly obeyed those in authority over them – even when the circumstances were highly unfavorable. Grant us the wisdom from your Word to know if a time arises when we need to defer to your Kingship and disobey a worldly authority. Let our knees bow to you alone, Lord Jesus! Let our attitudes be the same as yours: ‘Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.’ We desire that the ‘Vacancy’ sign burn brightly in every area of our lives. Help us, Holy Spirit, to passionately prepare the inn of our hearts for the return of the Anointed Traveler.” Ω

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[1] Arnold, Clinton E. (General Editor); Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary – Vol.1. Gran Rapids, MI:  Zondervan Publishing House, 1978, p. 341-342.