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A humbled and open heart is fertile soil for God’s seeds of wisdom to be planted. Deeper Roots is focused on analyzing God’s word to discover truths, values, and lessons for application to our lives. Periodically, a scripture or passage calls for further exploration, like Luke 2:1-7.
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:1-7 ESV
Our Deeper Roots passage in Luke shows how we should respond when the promise doesn’t look like we pictured. Our passage highlights the events that took place prior to Jesus’s earthly arrival. Joseph had to return to the town of his ancestors to be registered. Joseph was part of the lineage of David and so he and Mary traveled to Bethlehem. Once they arrived, there was no room in the inn, so Mary wrapped Jesus in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger (a feeding trough for animals).
Mary expressed her joy at the news of Jesus Christ and being chosen as the one to birth him into the world. But, she was not told about the conditions of his birth. There were unexpected circumstances that came with the promise. But, that didn’t deter Mary. Though she was a virgin, she had been with her cousin Elizabeth and had walked alongside her during her pregnancy. She had positioned herself well, so Mary was able to navigate the birth in an unexpected situation.
God’s promises will come to pass. And yet, there are times when He withholds the full story. God knows how much information we can handle. If he told us all of the challenges we’d have to weather to get to the promise, many of us would turn around. That’s why God releases instructions piece by piece. It’s our responsibility to steward each piece wisely. We must make the best of each situation we encounter by looking to God for strength and wisdom. When the current circumstances don’t look like the promise, keep going, keep trusting, keep believing.
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I know that most people are in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the season, but December always reminds me to slow down and reflect. It’s something about the cold weather that forces me to cozy up and sit still… I believe the stillness opens
With a little over 30 days left in the year, it’s easy to put a pin in new ideas or projects until the new year. As tempting as enjoying the pause may be, there are some things that we have been called to do that require our action now. Spiritual callings require our steadfast attention, not temporary devotion when our schedules allow. In this season, the Lord has been challenging me to finish well.
In a culture that values purpose and spiritual gifting, it’s interesting how quickly we toss them to the side when we’re fatigued or distracted. We yield to the flesh instead of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. We abandon how we show up out of convenience; missing opportunities to share the Gospel or be the hands and feet of Christ. Simply put, we fail to finish well.
El Roi. The God who sees me. When we talk about Hagar, we often refer to this tender exchange. This exact moment in the wilderness when she encounters God… when she accepts correction and instruction to return to a tense situation… when she receives the promise concerning the son in her womb… when she recognizes that she is seen and known by name. Yes, this is a pivotal moment, marked with such a significant name, and as I began to walk through Hagar’s story, to be seen, is so much deeper than watching someone visually.
“Are you going to try for another one?”
The ink on our marriage certificate wasn’t even dry before people began to ask when my husband and I were planning on having children. This seemingly innocent question was often met with ‘we don’t know’ outwardly, but inwardly it reinforced the shame of not being able to conceive a child.
I am the one in four.
If you or someone close to you is in need, we would be honored to lift you up in prayer. We believe in the power of prayer to bring peace, comfort, and reassurance during times of hardship. Our community is ready to join together and pray as we trust in God’s love and unending grace.
