Thursday, March 21, 2013

By: Rachelle Hitt Bilbo

 

Humble Beginnings

 

Zechariah 9:9 ...See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, LOWLY and riding on a donkey...

 

 

Many mothers say that they loved being pregnant because of the special connection with their unborn child. I am just going to be extremely honest. I loved being pregnant but for different reasons. People were SO nice!! It was as if the best in human nature was on showcase.

 

Strangers offered for me to cut ahead in line or to give up their seat. At family functions, everyone insisted that I sit and prop my feet up as they cleaned. Family and friends showered us with gifts in preparation for our new baby. It was just wonderful!

 

Sadly, Mary did not have this experience when pregnant with our Savior. In that time, many people (uninformed or unaccepting of God's miraculous conception) probably shunned Mary for being pregnant out of wedlock. Worst of all, as the arrival of Jesus approached, Mary had to travel a harsh journey on a donkey with Joseph to Bethlehem to register their family for the required census.

 

Because of this census, the inns were so crowded that Mary and Joseph were turned away EVEN as she began to go into labor. Luke 2:7 depicts the love of Mary as she wrapped her first born baby Jesus "in cloths and placed him in a manger."

 

Many people feel very limited in life to fulfill their purpose because of the situations and family they were born into. They attribute the success of others to the privilege those individuals were afforded.

 

However, Jesus came to this earth with the greatest purpose and responsibility than any other human being YET he was born into the lowliest conditions. After his birth, he was swaddled and placed in a feed trough to rest!

 

God could have birthed His son into this world through Caesar's family or one of the other wealthy reputable families, but He chose a humble carpenter and his fiancé.

 

I challenge you today to embrace your family and your heritage and to know that God birthed you at the right time and into the right family! Even if it SEEMS like you were unwanted or as if you do not have access to the best opportunities in life, know that God has given you the RIGHT people and resources AS WELL AS His Spirit to fulfill His plan for YOUR life.

 

Dear Lord, I thank you for my family and my humble beginnings. I thank You that the greatest opportunities and advancement are not provided by man but by God! I am confident that You will always "make room" for me!

 

I thank You Jesus for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.