12/22/2021
Merry Christmas!
Galatians 4:4 reads “when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son...”
This verse from the Bible, of course, refers to the birth of Jesus who came as the Jewish Messiah, and as the ‘light to the Gentiles’ (including Texans!) 2000 years ago. If you were living at that time, especially if you were Mary and Joseph (!), the ‘time’ might not have seemed ‘full’ at all! The Romans, who certainly weren’t seeking the birth of the Jewish Messiah, were the harsh rulers in Palestine. Their regional leader Quirinius required that “all the world” (Luke 2:1 KJ) report for a census. This compulsory journey left Mary and Joseph on the road without lodging at the moment when Christ was born. Obviously, the paradoxical ‘fullness’ that God had spoken of was not about travel luxuries or political ease, but about Him bringing His love to a broken world. The coming of Emmanuel: ‘God with us’ would change everything and open a path of redemption available for all….so that thousands found God’s love in their day.
So how does this Biblical ‘paradox’ relate to us? We know that we are also facing perplexing times! The world around us may seem to be fragile in ways than we never thought possible. The common thread with Mary and Joseph, and with all those who lived in Jesus’ day, is that God is still with us and will be with us in our tumultuous times….so that millions will find God’s love in our day!
So, as you hang the Christmas stockings this year, take comfort that we are also living in the ‘fullness of time’! Like Mary and Joseph and the shepherds on that pivotal starry night, we can rejoice, glorify God, and proclaim ‘peace on earth, good will towards men’!
So, like I said before, Merry Christmas!
