By Mic Thurber

Message from the RMC president:

There are three seemingly unimportant words in the telling of Jesus’ birth from Luke’s Gospel that I used to skip over. But they have arrested my attention in recent years. See if you can guess which ones I’m talking about from the Gospel of Luke 2:

1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also 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. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

“In those days” seems unimportant compared to the really important information that is revealed in these verses. What’s important was that Jesus was born of a not-yet-married young woman in a specific place—all things foretold in prophecy.

So, what was happening “in those days?” History tells us of tremendous political unrest, incurable diseases, international tensions, high taxation, a huge underclass with no real prospects of escaping their economic plight, and a spiritual climate that saw people believing pretty much whatever they wanted to believe. On top of all this, God had not spoken to His people through a prophet in some 400 years.

It was “into those days” that God decides to show up. Turns out He’d had His eye on what was happening, and He said, “this is the right time.”

Of course, that was “those days.” In these days, we have it all together, right? In these days …

  • We’ve solved the hunger and homelessness problems,
  • Our tax code is fair for all citizens,
  • World tensions are at an all-time low, with nations extending only kindness and goodwill toward their neighbors,
  • Our political systems work smoothly with fairness for all and there is nothing but peace everywhere,
  • Lawlessness is no longer an issue,
  • The family unit is strong and safe from attack,
  • And if there’s anything we can all agree on, it’s religion and politics.

… Or not …

Turns out that these days need for Jesus to show up is every bit as much as in those days. I don’t know about you, but I’m very grateful for the promise of John 14:1-3, and also the words of the angel in Acts 1 when Jesus was ascended back to heaven. He is coming back, and, judging by the mess that describes these days, that great day cannot be far off.

But it will be different this time.

One of the stories treated almost as a postscript in the story of Jesus’ birth is about a deeply spiritually-sensitive man named Simeon (see Luke 2:25-30). So drawn to a close relationship with God was he, that the Lord impressed upon his heart that he would not die until he saw the promised Desire of Ages for himself. Thus began a long wait for this faithful soul.

It’s hard to imagine the sheer elation and amazement that must have filled the old man’s heart as he held the Savior of the world in his own arms and gazed into his face. The long wait was worth every passed moment for the joy of this moment. In his deep gratitude, he offered a brief prayer of thanks for this unique privilege, that also included something that is a bit shocking.

“Now dismiss your servant in peace,” was his prayer. In other words, “I’ve seen your promised Holy One, now let me die in peace.”

What will be different the next time Jesus shows up is that none who long for His appearing will be saying “thanks for letting me see your glory—now let me die I peace.”

No, not this time. We’ll be shouting praises and exclaiming that we want to “live forever in peace” with our dear Savior in His glorious heavens!

It is my prayer that as you and your family consider the story of His birth again this season, that it will remind you that the best is yet to come. He came once, just when He was needed. And He’ll do it again! You have His word on it.

—Mic Thurber is RMC president. Photo from Unsplash.