CHRISTMAS: God's Rescue Plan Realisedনমুনা
Why did God send his son to be born in an obscure rural village in a country that was overrun by an occupying enemy force? What made God involve a peasant girl and a carpenter? What prompted the Son of God to be born in a place where animals feed?
The truth is: God carefully laid the plans for this event long ago. The Old Testament prophets foretold it. The prophet Micah (5:2-4) had spoken about a mother who was to give birth to a prince of ancient lineage, who would shepherd his people, and who would be born in Bethlehem.
Then 700 years later, the Magi were guided by a star to Jerusalem, where they enquired of king Herod where the ‘king of the Jews’ would be born.
The scribes looked up the Old Testament prophecy and told the Magi that the Messiah will be born… surprise, surprise: in Bethlehem.
Eons ago, God carefully laid his plans… to come to you.
Prayer
Dear Father,
You laid the foundation for your loving initiative eons ago. And your word says that you are the God who never changes.
Thank you that I can lean back into a love that has never changed in history.
I am humbled by it.
Scripture
About this Plan
The false gods invented by humankind to give definition to a god they knew must exist, were, unsurprisingly, very much like humankind. They had to be cajoled and bribed by acts of devotion to take notice of us. But the one true God has taken the initiative and seeks us out––to rescue us back to himself. And that is the Christmas story.
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