Luke 2:1, 4-5 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to … Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

Imagine, because of Caesar who calls himself “God,” Jesus is born in Bethlehem instead of Nazareth, fulfilling prophesies that are thousands of years old.

If you are God, how do you plan that? And how do you keep your son alive just miles from King Herod, who kills his own family members out of lust for power? How do you get astronomers from the Far East there on time — gentiles who don’t know you, yet worship Jesus and help you keep him safe? And how do you know that Joseph and Mary will respond quickly to a dream? And why, oh why, do you send them fleeing to Egypt for safety? Egypt! A place of so much pain for the Hebrew people.

Such intricate planning and intimate knowing is why we are not God. It is why we say, with fervor, “your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven!” What we know is we serve a God who uses governments to further a story of brokenness and redemption; what we can rest in is that of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end (Is. 9:7).

Prayer: Giver of good gifts, help me rest in what you are doing in this world as well as in the one to come.