Divine Direction – January 1, 2023

“Get up,” [the Lord] said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
Matthew 2:13

Divine Direction

We’ve all heard accounts of people who got stuck in traffic and ended up missing their flight, only to find out later that the flight they were scheduled to be on crashed, leaving few, if any, survivors. And what was it that kept those people out of harm’s way—”Dumb luck” or “God’s direction?”

Even though Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were happy living in Bethlehem, Joseph took Jesus and Mary and left Bethlehem for Egypt. And Joseph did this before Herod came and murdered all the boy babies in Bethlehem two years of age and younger. Again, what was it that kept this family (Jesus’ family) safe—”Dumb luck” or “God’s direction?”

We know it was God’s direction because the Bible tells us that God informed Joseph about what King Herod was going to do, and he instructed Joseph to take his family to Egypt to escape. Although this trip would be difficult, it was part of God’s plan to protect his Son so he could save the world from its sins.

When God’s plan doesn’t match up with ours, let’s remember to give thanks that our heavenly Father lovingly directs every circumstance in our lives with our eternal well-being in mind. Then we’ll be able to look forward to that wonderful something God is accomplishing through his plan.

May God’s promise to guide and direct our lives according to his will and for our good grant a Happy New Year to us all!

Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank you for being so wise and loving that you often avert many of the problems that could so easily come into my life. When you change the things I’ve planned to be in line with yours, let me rejoice in your divine direction. Amen.