Time and Opportunity

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them. Luke 2:6‭-‬7 NLT

As we live our lives from day to day, we are reminded of our limitations and human nature. We realise daily that there is a superior power at work around us, who is fully in charge and who is working out all things, at his own time and in his own way. The events around the birth of his Son, which is the essence of the Christmas season, also buttresses this fact. Let's look at a few lessons:

1. There is always a season of manifestation for all that God has promised. It does not matter how bad or unlikely it looks now; if God has said it, he will rearrange the world, if he needs to, to fulfil his promise. Joseph and Mary were not in Bethlehem, the prophesied place of the birth of the Saviour. A decree for census then came, forcing both of them to travel to Bethlehem. Call it chance, call it politics; things had to change for the promise to be fulfilled exactly as God has decreed it.

2. When both came to Bethlehem, the time of the fulfilment met them there. When God disrupts our plans and desires, he has big things planned for us, things that our human mind cannot comprehend.  Abraham was asked to leave his father's house and just keep moving, his obedience opened the door for generational blessings; Isaac stayed in a land of famine, and his economy didn't look anything like where he was living. Joseph and Mary too obeyed, and today, we speak of Life given and Eternal Life received.

3. Unfortunately, God can be hard at work and the world will not care, as it will be busy doing its own things. God never works in line with the world's expectations, that is why the world always misses his  visitations. A king had been born, even the wise men went to the palace to look for him. The inn where the baby was born didn't know any better, didn't care much, and could only prepare a place for the baby in a manger, where animals fed. While men were busy taking up space, God was busy taking up room in the hearts of men, planting eternity in their hearts. The same is true today; we are busy, yet focused on the wrong things. We spend heavily at this time, yet our lives are empty of the real essence of the season. We need to conform to the prescribed image, forgetting that God never came to establish just a religion or  life behavior, but a living, breathing relationship with us.

Can God find room in my life? Am I distracted by the revenue opportunities around me or am I secure in my relationship with God? While the world is singing the carols and singing of 'Joy to the World', have i really found that true joy? Whilst I pursue a living, have I found true Life? Does he live inside of me? This season must not be the usual; find room in your heart for God. He will make the present and the future worth it. His time of favour is here.