Women's Corner                                                         December 22, 2004

I confess… I would have done it differently. But that is the reason that God is God and I am not! Oh, it is not that I would not have chosen young teenager Mary, or her sweetheart Joseph. I just would have made it easier on them!

For example, why not announce the plan to Mary and Joseph’s families, or the whole town. That way they could have brought the baby into the world without all of the wagging tongues and ostracizing. They would have had loving support from family and friends. I am a big fan of loving support! But then… would they have been able to deal with the wagging tongues when Jesus was older, throughout His ministry and His mission?

And how about the place of His birth? Why not have the Caesar wait a little while? We are talking a few months here, and Jesus could have been born at His parent’s home in Nazareth. But then….the prophecy of His birth in the town of Bethlehem would not have been fulfilled. And would Mary and Joseph have been able to withstand the rugged road ahead in their lives?

What about that stable? Most scholars and historians believe it was actually a cave. Couldn’t the Lord have worked out one clean room for His only precious Son to be born in? Yes! He could have! How many times has He done things like work out a parking place for you in a crowded lot, or a motel room for you and the family after a long day of travel? He could have. But then… the One and Only perfect Passover Lamb of God would not have been born in the very place that had birthed thousands of other spotless lambs that would be sacrificed to spare the lives of the children of Israel.

There are a number of things that we can think of that would have made things easier and “better” to our way of thinking, but they would have taken the meaning out of it all. They would have taken the fulfillment of God’s prophesy out of it. They would have taken God’s plan out of it. They would have taken God’s glory out of it. They would have taken the sovereignty of God out of it. They would have taken GOD out of it! (Hmm… sounds like the contemporary move to take Christ out of Christmas!) That is what we do could have been easier or how we can make things when we look at our lives and see how things “easier” on ourselves in the present and future.

God created each of us with a plan in mind and He is orchestrating our lives with the opportunity to fulfill His best in our lives if we will go it with Him. We just have to stop playing God and go with His plan, however rough or nonsensical it appears to us.

If we look back on the events of Jesus’ birth, we can see hundreds of ways that God was working all the little details of the whole episode out to the minutest detail for His purposes and His glory. And He will do the same with each of our lives if we are willing to trust and obey the Creator of our lives and Lover of our souls.

There is an excerpt from Falling in Love with Jesus and Hinds’ Feet on High Places that is so like me:

“Hannah Hurnard’s Hinds’ Feet on High Places is an allegory in which a fawn named Much-Afraid overcomes her fears and learns how to go to the high places with the Chief Shepherd. He tells her that in order to go to the High Places, she must walk herself, though he will never be far from her. She pleads with him to carry her. (emphasis mine) Gently the Chief Shepherd responds:

‘Much-Afraid, I could do what you wish. I could carry you all the way up to the High Places myself, instead of leaving you to climb there. But if I did, you would never be able to develop hinds’ feet, and become my companion and go where I go. If you will climb to the heights this once with the companions I have chosen for you, even though it may seem a very long and in some places a very difficult journey, I promise you that you will develop hinds’ feet.’

Hesitantly, Much-Afraid agrees. Then the Chief Shepherd tells her he will give her two companions. When she’s introduced to them, she learns that they are called Sorrow and Suffering! Poor Much-Afraid! Her cheeks blanched and she began to tremble from head to foot.

‘Why, oh why must you make Sorrow and Suffering my companions? Couldn’t you have given Joy and Peace to go with me…? I never thought you would do this to me!’ And she burst into tears.

… ‘Will you trust Me, Much-Afraid?’ ”

Do you see yourself there too? I pray that as we finish this year and look with hope to the coming year, we will resolve to let God be God, welcome His Spirit and work in our lives and walk to the High Places with Him.

Let’s talk……….. Ann@datilbaptistchurch.com

Here is the schedule for the Mountain Baptist Association Ladies Luncheons:

January 20^th-- 11:30 am--Los Companeros, Reserve

February 17^th--11:30 am-- T B A , Quemado

March 17^th-- 11:30 am--Eagle Guest Restaurant, Datil

April-- Ladies Retreat