Peace in the Plan

Please read Matthew 2:13-23.  On Wednesday we gathered to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  We sang carols, lit candles, and listened to the Christmas story.  Today should not be anticlimactic.  We need to hear more.  Amid this story of teenagers traveling many miles, having a child born in a manger and surprised with the responsibility of raising a child--we may miss something God wants us to consider.  Do we try to avoid hardship or ignore pain? Maybe we need to embrace the lows with the highs.  Sometimes lamenting draws us closer to God, helping our faith to deepen and hear God’s promises more clearly.

Much like the startling ring of the phone at 2:00 am, Joseph is awakened by the voice of an angel telling him to, “Get up and go.”  The birth of his little boy has caused political unrest, and he is responsible to lead his family to safety.  Directed to Egypt, they were thrown into living life as refugees.  Despite the discomfort and displacement, and confronted with a language barrier with no family or friends to greet them or help them, Mary and Joseph were obedient.   How often are we placed in nerve-wracking situations?  What has our response been?  What can we learn from these teens?  

Herod the Great (knowing that Jesus was born) prompted this turmoil.  Insecure in his leadership and authority, paranoid Herod ordered the ruthless killing of every male child two or younger.  Joseph and Mary did not have time to offer explanations to those they loved.  In the middle of the night, they embarked on a 300-mile journey to Egypt, where they remained for about three years.  We tend to romanticize the Christmas story to the point where we miss a lot.  Why?  Maybe because we are overwhelmed by the love, or because we are so grateful for the sacrifice that we look to the good, but we need to acknowledge the trials demanding obedience and the servant attitude set for us to emulate.   

Matthew has us looking forward and reaching back… Mary and Joseph knew what Matthew was referring to when quoting the prophet Hosea, “Out of Egypt I have called my son.”    For us, the ringing in of a new year can be a time for us to project and recollect too.  Like Mary and Joseph, we need to trust in God’s plan and submit.  

            At times, I wonder why we question our trials. Clearly, Mary and Joseph and certainly Jesus were not without trying times, so why do some think we should be exempt?  As Christians we are not promised to be without pain, we are promised that in our times of pain we have the comfort of God.  We will encounter pain; the difference is Christ is with us on that journey.  We have hope!  Christ’s light invaded the darkness that eve in Bethlehem…hope shown.  Jesus is our Hope, bringing new life to all.  

As this new year approaches, we need to hold on to the faithfulness of God in the past, and the promise of God’s future as God shapes our present.  With whatever pain or hardship we are entering into this new year with let’s boldly depend on our faithful God.  Theologian Charles Spurgeon combined several promises of God and wrote this, “The God of the past has blotted out your sin, the God of the present makes all things work for our good, and the God of the future will never leave or forsake you.”  

So being realistic, I think we need to leave some room for lament.  It’s an honest way to bring pain and confusion to God which will help to transform our sadness and sorrow into hope.  Lamentations tells us this: “Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning” (3:23-3).  Being well-versed in Scripture, Joseph and Mary knew this.   They moved into their future able to rise above the murmurings and fear because they were in alignment with God’s will. 

Something I learned a while back is, God and I think differently. I need to remind myself of this from time to time.  I learned to ask, what would Jesus do?  The good news is, when we face trials with faith, our God will see that our trials refine us, shape us, prepare us, and beautify us.  It is through trials that we mature in faith and draw closer to God.  

The fact is, our lives will present hardships, trials, and pains.  At times, like when traveling through a maze, we will hit dead ends and need to start over again.  We will lament.  Yet in gratitude and sincerity, we can go to our forgiving God who welcomes us with mercy and grace, redirects us, and guides us.  Our God remains faithful and showers us with love amid our doubt and rebellion.  As we journey into 2026, remember God’s promises, trust in God’s guidance, and like Mary and Joseph submit to Him.   And all God’s people say, amen.

Blessings,

Pastor Kerry

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