Co-workers With God
So Joseph went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and expecting a child. (Luke 2:4-5, NIV)
It’s not likely that Mary was required to accompany Joseph to Bethlehem. Why, then, did she go? There are two possibilities.
First, remaining alone back in Nazareth meant facing the scandal and mistreatment of the local townspeople when the baby was born. Mary spent the first trimester of her pregnancy with her relative Elizabeth, who would soon give birth to John the Baptist. Upon returning home, she would have remained in seclusion for the most part. Joseph would not have wanted her to face the inevitable indignity of the birth of her child alone.
A second possibility for Mary accompanying Joseph to Bethlehem is that these two godly Jews knew the prophecy of Micah. They knew that Messiah was to be born in the City of David.
We often think of the fulfillment of prophecy as exclusively the sovereign act of God, and it certainly is. But God calls on us not only to recognize the truth of his Word but to work together with him to fulfill it.
I think it is significant that after the escape to Egypt, Joseph planned to return to Bethlehem. It took another angelic visitation for him to decide to settle in Nazareth.
2 Corinthians 6:1 tells us that we are co-workers with God. What an incredible privilege! Working together with God to see his will done, his kingdom come.
What are you and God working on together today?
In Christ,
Dan
‘Tis the season to join together with God in accomplishing his will in our world.
Check out my podcasts from Church on the Edge and my books on Kindle.
You can listen to my weekly messages at Embrace Church, High Point.