Divine Care

Jesus said that God knows what we need. If we come to Him in prayer and ask for our needs, He will give accordingly just as parents give to their children (Matthew 7:7-12). Jesus said that the summary of the law is to do to others as we would like them to do unto us. We believe in a God who is trustworthy, good, and powerful. All things are ultimately ordered and governed by God towards a divine purpose and plan. Although God has given us free will, He works through our good or evil deeds to make us a part of His plan for His kingdom. We ground ourselves on a strong and firm foundation of faith.

When Mary told Joseph that she was carrying a child, he was flabbergasted. His natural instinct was to question whose child this was. Seeing Joseph’s dilemma God sent His angel in a dream (Matthew 1:20) to advise him to take Mary as his wife. The angel proclaimed that Mary was carrying the Messiah. If God had not intervened at that right time, Joseph may have abandoned Mary. She may have been stoned to death as required by the Jewish law for conceiving a child outside wedlock.

God prepared the entire nation for the coming of the Messiah. The prophets foretold it; the faithful were anxiously awaiting it. To a chosen few God sent His angels to proclaim the Good news. At the time that Christ was born, there was great joy in the hearts of those who understood the importance of the birth. It was the coming of the Messiah, the Son of God. Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 7:14) and said that a virgin would conceive and give birth to a son, and He would be called “Immanuel”. Immanuel means God with us. Here we see God generously giving His only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in Him will have everlasting life (John 3:16). How many Christians believe in the virgin birth and resurrection of Christ?

God’s Son was born in a stable; the poorest and maybe even the dirtiest place was where the Christ child was born in absolute humility. God chose to reveal the Good news to poor shepherds who were awake with the flock at night when Christ was born. The poorest of the community of believers, often considered as out casts and unclean, came rejoicing to welcome and worship the Savior. Their presence and words of joy welcoming the Messiah must have filled Mary’s heart with great joy that God had sent these men to welcome her child. This was an affirmation that God cared so much.

Mary and Joseph lived at a time when Roman rule was heavily resting upon the Jews. Although Herod was their king, they were still overshadowed by the presence of Romans all over the kingdom. It was a difficult time in their history when they did not have any independence. Herod was quite a tyrannical ruler and levied a heavy burden of tax upon the people. Further when he heard that a King had been born in Bethlehem he was overcome with jealousy. He even tried to find out from the wise men where the child was (Matthew2:1-12). Although he feigned a desire to worship the child, he in actuality wanted to have Him killed. When he realized that the wise men had left without informing him where the child was, he decreed that all children below the age of two be put to death. Mary and Joseph were not only spiritually blessed by the visit of the wise men but also materially blessed with treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. At the time of Christ’s birth there was not only great joy, but also great tragedy. Many Jews lost their babies and young children due to the birth of the Messiah.

Even during these dangerous times, God appeared before Joseph in a dream and told him to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13-23). Joseph takes his family to find refuge in the same country that the Israelites had fled thousands of years earlier. Here again God’s hand leads them from the dangers of the tyranny of Herod to safety. When Herod died God appeared again to Joseph and so he returned to Nazareth in Israel. God has also entrusted our children into our care, and we have a responsibility to love them, nourish them, and ensure that they are well prepared to face the world when they grow up. He will guide and help us, and has said that to those who ask He will generously give the Holy Spirit to be a source of comfort and strength to all through out our earthly lives.