Wait for the numbers.

Just a quick one today, but more to come! Lots of good stuff in Matthew 1 and 2!

Sometimes it is really hard to see how God could possibly be working in our lives (surely it's not just me). One thing after another happens and we seem to have no control and nothing is working right and we think God could not possibly be involved in our chaos.

While reading about all that happened to Joseph and Mary prior to and immediately after the birth of Jesus I am sure that they simply could not see the picture God had created for their lives. Just a bunch of random dots on one of God's activity pages. Then in Matthew 2:18 you read a prophecy from Jer 31:15 about death and mourning and weeping and Matthew says it was a prophecy about Herod killing all the baby boys while searching for Jesus.

Who would have thought or could have predicted that Jeremiah was talking about this event!? The readers in Jeremiah's day probably didn't even recognize that as a prophecy, but Matthew, through the Spirit saw it.

Here's my conclusion and then I've got to run; It's easier to connect the dots once they've been numbered. When you look at what God is doing all you may see is a random bunch of dots on a smudged piece of paper... wait for the numbers, then be amazed at how God has orchestrated the events of your life to reveal a beautiful picture you can not now see.