Christmas Devotion # 17

God's Leading

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. Matthew 2:9

This weekend the Lord led my children and I to do something totally out of our comfort zone, but something totally wonderful. I'm not going to share all the details, but only three things:

1. The result was wonderful beyond belief and life-changing.
2. Unknown to us, God led my mother in another part of the country to do the exact same thing on the same weekend.
3. I will do this again and again and again as long as the Lord enables me.

Through the years I've noticed that around Christmas God often leads people to do things they might not ordinarily do. He led the wise men on a journey to a foreign land. He led a group of shepherds to leave their jobs for a moment in pursuit of Christ. He led Mary and Joseph to Bethelehem so scripture would be fulfilled. Simeon was led into the temple to see baby Jesus before he died. Anna was led directly to Baby Jesus in the temple as well.

Maybe you've felt God pricking your heart to do something, but you're not quite sure it's Him. Notice that all of the people in the paragraph above were led differently. The wise men were led by something outside themselves. The shepherds responded to a miraculous event. Mary and Joseph's circumstances led them to Bethlehem. Simeon was moved inside by the Holy Spirit. And then we come to Anna. She simply walked with God night and day and in the course of her ordinary day she happened upon Christ. In fact, the only thing they all had in common is that they followed God's leading in whatever form it came.

Maybe God is nudging you to do something out of your comfort zone today. My friend, follow your heart. Usually when God asks us to do something out of the ordinary our head and our heart come into sharp disagreement. The mind wants to reason everything out and know all the details. The heart says follow and trust God. Take a step of faith and see what happens.

Pray: Father, lead us today in whatever way you choose. Give us the courage to go where you want us to go and to do whatever you want us to do. Help us to trust.

Ponder: What is God leading you to do today? If it is something that will help and bless others you can pretty much bank on it being God. The devil isn't in the blessing business and neither is our carnal nature.

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." Luke 2:15

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts... Luke 2:27

Coming up at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:38

He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village... Mark 8:23