Picture this: Joseph, with his pregnant wife Mary, embarking on a journey of nearly 100 miles from Nazareth to his hometown due to a census called by the Roman government.

It's intriguing to consider that the Roman oppression faced by the Israelites played a pivotal role in God’s ultaimate plan for the Birth of Jesus.

Without Caesar Augustus calling for a census, Joseph and Mary would have remained in the comfort of their own abode, and Bethlehem would have merely been a dot on the map.

Yet, in this twist of fate, we find a profound lesson – a reminder that sometimes, what we perceive as adversity is really all a part of God’s plan for us!

Can you imagine THE FRUSTRATION and inconvenience they must have felt?!

Could this really be God’s will?

Especially with Mary in the final months of her pregnancy.

Haven’t we all been here?

Imagine the inconvenience!

The anger they may have felt!

“I mean of all times, why would you call the census now?”

“How could this census be part of God‘s plan for us?”

I think we do the same thing in a situation...

We look at life and the situations we face, and we think how on earth could this be part of the plan?!

We say things like, man, this couldn’t have happened at a worse time.

Why does it always feel like we’re taking steps back?

But I have found that often times what feels like a setback is genuinely a set up for God to perform His best work.

In those moments of inconvenience and frustration, reflect the feelings of Joseph and Mary…

…questioning the timing and reasoning behind life's unexpected turns.

Yet, in this narrative, we find a profound truth that resonates with our own experiences—

What feels like an inconvenience was actually part of God‘s plan the whole time, and even though it’s hard to see right now…

He has a way of taking things and bringing them full circle for our GOOD in His glory.

The inconvenience we face might be a pivotal moment in the grand design of our story, orchestrated by the hand of providence and grace.

Consider the scene in Bethlehem—Yes, the census was called.

Yes, you had to journey 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem.

Yes, when you get here you’re gonna be inconvenienced because there’s no room at the inn. (You’re not part of the Inn crowd… Someone needs to get that)

And yes, you’re gonna have to find yourself in a manger, not a palace, watching your baby being born,

Feeling like there’s no help,

No hope,

and no one knows about or cares about your story…

But what you didn’t know is that thousands of years ago God had made a star…

A star whose only job was to show up and shine, at the right place at the right time… directly above this Manger where you were having the most painful night of your life.

A manger that was probably built by some poor farmer long ago…

THINK about this…

The Roman Census could have been called ANYTIME…

The Farmer could have built that manger ANYWHERE…

But the Star… It was set up by God’s divine plan to show up, at that time, over that exact spot…

This was no accident; This was set in motion during the creation story, thousands of years before that Holy Night.

”And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars.” Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

This cosmic orchestration reassures us that NOTHING catches God by surprise.

God orchestrated not only the details of Bethlehem, where every element aligned perfectly for the Savior's birth, but also the life and death of Jesus on the cross.

Each event meticulously arranged, every step leading to the borrowed tomb—a place chosen with purpose.

In the seeming chaos of crucifixion, every detail fell into place, aligning for the ultimate act of redemption and salvation.

It's a testament to God’s precision and design, ensuring that every part of the narrative, from Bethlehem to Calvary, aligns perfectly for our eternal hope.

Every inconvenience, every setback, comes with a God who already had the solution before you ever knew the problem existed…

Romans 8:28 says - "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

It’s all part of a larger narrative that He has intricately tied together to get you in the RIGHT PLACE at the RIGHT time for heaven to shine down blessing on your life…

The path may be challenging, but rest assured, there's purpose in the journey, and victory in the story.

As we navigate our own journeys during this holiday season, may we find peace knowing that, just like the star above the manger, God has set a path for us.

In the end, with Jesus as part of our story, there's no losing—only victory unfolds for His glory and it's all part of our story.

Welcome to Bethlehem, God has a plan here too!

Hey! If any part of this message resonates with you then TRUST me, don’t miss church at DREAM CITY this Sunday at 10:30am located at Donna‘s Legacy center in Alvin Texas.

Address: 785 CR 539 Alvin, Texas 77511!

I really do believe God has a perfect plan for your life and I believe THIS CHRISTMAS eve is going to be the start of something GREAT!!!

Church family let’s invite BIG this Sunday and get people in the room! See you Sunday!!!

—PZ