Leaving Differently

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.  Matthew 2:12

All across the world, airline terminals are buzzing with the returning footsteps of Christmastime visitors planning to go home. Most everyone is using the second half of a round-trip ticket.

The wise men planned a round-trip, and they changed their route home. The Bible does not tell us which way they went, but it does tell us why they changed their plan. “Being divinely warned,” the Bible says, they were led by the Holy Spirit to take a route that would protect them from being captured by Herod.

I don't want to read more into the verse that what it states but the thought that when people meet Jesus Christ, they leave different. You can't have a face-to-face encounter with Him and remain the same.

• Saul meets Jesus on the Damascus Road and had a radical transformation. Acts 9

• Zacchaeus had an encounter with Jesus and had a total change. Luke 19:1-9

• But not all encounters ended with a positive outcome. A rich young ruler refused to meet the requirement for discipleship and left very sad.

  Luke 18:18-24

As you leave Christmas 2022, I trust you had an encounter with Jesus Christ and you are determined to face 2023 in a new direction.

Behold! A Child is Born!

 Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Psalm 127:3 

Three weeks ago, our granddaughter Bethany, gave birth to our first great grandchild. Needless to say, we were overjoyed. We marveled at how perfect she was. (What do you expect from a great grandfather?)

This morning as I read Luke's account of the nativity, I could not help but identify with Mary, in a very small way. In Luke 2, an angel appeared to Mary and gave her some very startling news, that though she was a virgin, she would become pregnant. He also told her that her Son, “... shall be very great and shall be called the Son of God. And the Lord God shall give him the throne of his ancestor David. “And he shall reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom shall never end! Luke 1:32-33 I'm sure that was a lot for her to think about. “..Mary quietly treasured these things in her heart and often thought about them...” Luke 2:19

Back to our great grandchild. As I held Ezri, I thought, what does God have in store for her life? What plans does He have for her? Jeremiah 29:11 Since holding her from the first time, I cannot help but to continually think about God's amazing plan for her.