Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.
(ESV)
—Matthew 2:19-23
by: Andrew J. Camenga.
Bouncing from one place to another is never easy. God did not give Joseph, Mary, and Jesus an easy life. First, there was the confusion over Jesus' coming. Then there was the census. There was finding a house in Bethlehem. There was the move to Egypt. There was the move back to Israel and then, finally, the move to Nazareth.
An easy life or not, the family was obedient to the command of God. Let us learn to accept the difficult situations that come our way-not as punishments for wrongdoing-rather, as opportunities to be obedient in the midst of life. God has called us to hear his voice and follow. Let us learn to do just that.