To me this is a rhetorical question because the answer seems obvious. However, it is not to everyone. This can be a perplexing subject and difficult decisions must be made in our lives. One of the things I learned growing up was, the three most difficult decisions you will make when you grow up, besides living for God, because that was a given, are, who will I marry, where will we live and buy a house, and when or if we will have children. Then there’s the matter of a job, education and so on and so forth, life goes on.
I do not believe in luck, chance, or coincidence in the life of a child of God. I believe he leads and guides us in our lives no matter how small or large the issues we face may be. He knows our thoughts, fears, and anxieties. He wants us to live in peace as he says in John 14:2, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” He also wants us to have abundant life while on this earth. John 10:10, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” He does not relish seeing us suffer. He has already taken our suffering, guilt, and shame upon himself on the cross at Calvary.
Let us examine the life of the One who is our supreme example, Jesus, regarding this question. Jesus was born in Bethlehem according to Matthew 2:4-6, “And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet. And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people, Israel.” This prophecy is found in Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel;” So how did this happen? By the divine will of God that had to be at work in Joseph and Mary’s lives even prior to His birth.
Joseph and Mary were both Jews, descendants of David and their lineage can be seen in Matthew 1 and Luke 3. Mary grew up in Nazareth, but Joseph was from Bethlehem. What brought him to Nazareth? Most likely trouble with the Roman government, we’re not sure of his entire story, but by the time Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost in Mary, she and Joseph who was a devout man, were already espoused aka engaged. A coincidence you say, no, notice the decree that came forth from Caesar Augustus, again of the Roman government, who said that everyone would have to go back to their city of origin to pay their taxes. (There was no internet yet). This would not have affected Mary because she was from Nazareth not Bethlehem. The location of the birth of Jesus which was to be in Bethlehem as the prophet had stated, was fulfilled because of Joseph needing to make that trip at that precise time.
Yes, this indeed happened, and we celebrate this wonderful Christmas story each year. Is this where his story ends? Is Jesus born, raised, and lived happily ever after in Bethlehem? No. Not long after the baby shower was over, attended by the Magi, the shepherds and animals, Joseph heard from the Lord. He did not know there was danger lurking, but God did. We must trust the voice of God, no matter if we think we have found our forever home or not. He is omniscient. Matthew 2:13-15 tells us, “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.” Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.” Joseph could have questioned,Egypt, what? This is not even in the same vicinity, not a part of our homeland, a totally different country! It’s not close to the park, it’s in a bad neighborhood, it’s not a good school district and on and on. But Joseph obeyed the voice of the Lord.
Well subsequently Herod died. After reading the Egyptian Chronicle, News Week, should Joseph just have picked up on his own volition and said to Mary, the danger is over so let’s pack up and move back home? No, firstly, God had said, stay in Egypt until I tell you otherwise, secondly, it’s one thing to say it’s time to move, but quite another to know where you’re going. You need to have a destination and you need to allow the Lord to lead you because he knows what lies ahead. Matthew 2:19-23 tells us what happens next, “But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life. And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” (See Hosea 1:8-9) He had some fears and questions, but he knew he was in God’s will because he had heard the voice of the Lord. If you have not been told by the Lord to leave and you don’t know where you’re going, stay put. Be patient and wait on the Lord to open the right doors for you.
Notwithstanding Jesus did a little traveling with his parents and relatives to the feasts in Jerusalem, he grew up primarily in Nazareth. He went to school, obeyed his parents, and probably learned the carpentry trade from Joseph during those years. Until he was thirty years old. I guess adult kids in the home is not that unusual then. (smiling) He took a trip on his own to Jordan where his cousin John the Baptist was preaching and baptizing. He was baptized to fulfil all righteousness as an example to us. Upon his return home he withdrew to the wilderness for 40 days, in which he fasted, prayed, and overcame temptations that were presented to him in preparation of his ministry. When he out of solitude, he began to preach and teach in the synagogues.
In his early ministry on one occasion, in Nazareth, his home town, he picked up the scriptures and began to read Isaiah 61:1-3, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.” He then stated that the scripture was being fulfilled in their hearing that day. They knew him as the snotty nosed kid down the street and thought that he was committing blasphemy because he was claiming to be the Messiah. It did not go over well, and they ‘thrust’ him out of the city. At that point a move was in order once again. However, was this just a coincidence? We often do not feel accepted by our own or taken seriously by the ones closest to us who are exactly the ones we are trying to make proud. But we must not change to please people; keep in mind it is God that we must please not man. Also remember, if you ever want to give up and go back home, it will never be the same again. There must always be a forward motion in our lives, not backward.
Jesus heard that his cousin was in prison, he left home, struck out on his own and went to check on John. From then on, he lived in Capernaum in what is thought to be a rented space and had that as his home base until his death, although he was on the go teaching and preaching most of the time. This was not a ‘by chance’ move in his life either, Matthew 4:12-16 states, “Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” This prophecy is found in Isaiah 9:1-2, “Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations. The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” As you are beginning to see, his life was ordered by God. If we would take the time to look back at our lives, we can see that there were steppingstones, events, and open doors that led us to where we are today including decisions good and bad that we have made along the way.
Jesus also had friends and a ‘home away from home’ if you will. He spent many occasions in Bethany on his journeys at the home of siblings Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. He spent time there the week before his passion, six days before the Passover and his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. He grew very fond of them and felt very comfortable with them. It was a safe place. We should all remember that friends and ‘R&R’ are necessities of life. We all need to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and clear our minds and hearts, whether it is in the wilderness as Jesus did often or going on vacation. Life is there when we get back and we can then have the energy and resolve that we need to continue forward. Would Mary and Martha have called Jesus to come to their home when Lazarus fell sick if they had not had a relationship with him already? Highly unlikely. Which takes away the chance meeting theory once again. They knew him and trusted him. This was a crucial faith building moment, validation, and confirmation to all that Jesus had been trying to set forth in his ministry.
Let God lead and guide you daily in your choices. Don’t second guess Him. He sees the beginning from the end. He will speak to you in some way to direct you. It could be with an audible voice, through his word in scripture, dreams, visions, others, or just open doors. If a door does not open that you hoped would, don’t try to force it, but thank the Lord for his Sovereign working power in your life. So, drawing a conclusion from the example of the Life of Christ, the answer to the question is yes! God does care about you in every way, including where you live, and he knows where you are always no matter your geographical location. Trust him and enjoy each divinely appointed stage of the journey of your life and every stop along the way.