The other day, I wanted to eat Chick-fil-A for dinner. More specifically, I wanted a spicy chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-A. There was one problem that ultimately kept me from getting the Chick-fil-A that I wanted: It was a Sunday. As you know, Chick-fil-A is closed on Sundays. I wanted to eat at the right place, Chick-fil-A, at the wrong time. My Chick-fil-A example is a silly example to remind us that timing can have a significant impact. We may not always think about the impact timing can have, but timing impacts many things that we may not even realize. Of course, God, the author of time, understood the impact of timing, which is why Jesus was born at just the right time.
After centuries of waiting for the Messiah whom God had promised his people would come, Luke 2 recounts the birth of Jesus. During the time of His birth, the Roman Empire was the world's superpower. Augustus had issued a decree that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire (verse 1). That meant everyone had to return to "their own ancestral towns to register for this census" (verse 3). Joseph "was a descendent of King David," which meant that he had to go to Bethlehem. Luke 2 also tells us that "he took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child" (verse 5). While they were in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Everything happened just as the Old Testament prophesied it would. These were the circumstances of Jesus' birth at just the right time.
The timing of Jesus' birth was truly just right. You see, because the Roman Empire was a world power, Roman roads had begun to be created, which made it possible to spread the good news about Jesus. The Roman Empire had also instated Greek as a common language, which was the language for the New Testament.
Make no mistake, friends. God’s timing is perfect. His timing was perfect for sending Jesus, even when it may have seemed to the Jews that they had been waiting for the Messiah for a very long time. He can always be trusted.
Memorize Galatians 4:4-5. Let this passage of Scripture teach your heart and mind that God is a God of perfect timing. He can be trusted, even when we do not understand His timing. As you memorize, do not forget to thank God for sending His beloved Son, Jesus, at precisely the right time.
1At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.
6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
