Our kitchen is a mess! Several weeks ago, we noticed a small pool of water beside our refrigerator. When we pulled the refrigerator out from the wall, we discovered the water line to the ice maker had been dripping for some time. We had someone come to inspect the damage and discovered there are other issues that had been hidden. It looks like ENan is getting a new kitchen for Christmas! (She says, “Why is it MY kitchen?”) So, here we are, two weeks from Christmas and instead of baking Christmas cookies, we are emptying cabinets.
The world into which Jesus was born was also a mess. The Roman army had occupied the region of the world that included Israel, disrupting life on every level. The Roman emperor wanted a census so he would know exactly how much money he could expect in taxes from each region, so he required everyone to return to their homeland to be counted.
Joseph and Mary were caught up in the turmoil of political decisions. In the late stages of Mary’s pregnancy, they were forced to travel to Joseph’s ancestral home of Bethlehem. Other pilgrims had already filled the lodging places, so a stable for animals became the birthing room for Mary’s first-born child. What a mess!
What Mary and Joseph didn’t know was that everything was happening exactly as it should. The Bible affirms, ‘When the set time had fully come, God sent His Son…” (Galatians 4:4) In addition, the prophets had proclaimed that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2) What appeared to be a disastrous mess was actually the unfolding of God’s perfect plan, laid out from the foundation of the world.
Your world – like my kitchen – may feel like a big mess right now. Your work place, your family relationships, your financial status all may appear to be in ruins. Behind all the chaos, however, “We know that to those who love God, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good.” (Romans 8:28) Jesus is called the “Prince of peace.” He enters into our chaos and mess and helps us find our way forward, bringing peace of heart and mind.
Now, if I can just find my refrigerator.
-Dr. Jim Baldwin
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