16th December
“Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the City of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David”. Luke 2 v.4
The days leading up to Christmas are some of the busiest travel days of the year. Soon the roads will be filled with people heading home for Christmas. They will load up the car and make the journey , knowing that home waits at the other end. For many of us we will be the ones waiting to welcome family home and in our Christmas preparations we include special food, decorations etc that we know our families look forward to with fond memories each year making them feel ‘at home’
The days leading up to the birth of Jesus found Joseph and Mary travelling home to Bethlehem for a census. Where Joseph came from and ultimately where Jesus came from mattered in God’s grand plan, so the prophecies that foretold where the Messiah would be born would be fulfilled.
Home means different things for us all, some don’t have fond memories, but where we come from still matters because we come from the very heart of God. God’s grand plan for us started before we were born and He is still working through our past, present and future as part of this plan. And if Christ is our Saviour our future includes a journey to a new, eternal home in heaven.
We Pray –
Father as we prepare our homes for our friends and families help us to remember those for whom home is not a safe place at any time of the year. We pray or those who have nowhere to call home be with them Lord and with all the Charities and agencies trying to help the homeless, the neglected and the abused. May Your love reach them this Christmastide through the love of others. We pray for travelling mercies for all journeys and we thank you for our Emergency Services who work so tirelessly all year to keep us safe and help in our time of need. Amen
Margaret Lindley – Area Trustee for Liverpool, Chester & Stoke, North Wales and Manchester & Stockport
Photo by Jamie Davies on Unsplash
