Pastor Stephen Dedman

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire.
‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬

Question
Where might God be working in your life through circumstances you didn’t plan?

Context
Luke opens the Christmas narrative by anchoring it in real history. Caesar Augustus was the most powerful ruler in the world and he ordered a census to assert control and collect taxes. This decree forced Joseph and Mary to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem which fulfilled the prophecy that the Messiah would be born in David’s city (Micah 5:2). Though Rome believed it was exercising authority, God was sovereignly directing events. What seemed like political bureaucracy was actually God positioning people and places for redemption to enter the world.

Application
When life feels driven by decisions we didn’t choose like work demands, policies, delays, or disruptions, we can trust that God is still at work. Luke 2:1 reminds us that God can use ordinary, even frustrating circumstances to accomplish extraordinary purposes. Instead of resisting every inconvenience, we are invited to ask: How might God be aligning my steps for something greater? Faith grows when we trust God’s unseen hand in the details of our lives.

Truth For The Day
God’s purposes are never hindered by ordinary events or powerful people; He uses them.

Pray
Lord, help me trust You when life feels out of my control. Open my eyes to see Your hand at work in ordinary and unexpected ways. I place my plans and frustrations in Your care today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬

Question
Where might God be asking you to trust Him in the middle of an interruption?

Context
Joseph had already made a plan. It was careful, lawful, and compassionate. Then God interrupted it. In a dream, the angel revealed that what looked like a problem was actually a promise unfolding. God stepped into Joseph’s confusion not to scold him, but to guide him.

Application
God often brings joy through interruption. What feels like a disruption may be divine direction. Joseph’s fear did not disqualify him. God met him right there and spoke peace into his uncertainty.

Joy grows when we trust God with the plans we don’t understand. The same God who interrupted Joseph’s plans was already working out humanity’s salvation.

Is there an interruption in your life right now? Maybe something unexpected, inconvenient, or confusing? Instead of resisting it, ask God what He may be accomplishing through it. Joy comes when we surrender our plans to His greater purpose.

Truth For The Day
Joy is trusting God’s purpose when He rewrites our plans.

Pray
Lord, when my plans are interrupted and fear begins to rise, remind me that You are at work. Help me trust Your purpose and find joy in Your presence today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬

Question
Where is God calling you to choose obedience, even if you don’t yet see the outcome?

Context
Joseph stood at a crossroads. He knew the law, and he knew what the law allowed him to do. But Matthew tells us something deeper. Joseph was not only righteous, he was compassionate. Before the angel ever spoke, Joseph chose mercy. In a moment of confusion, disappointment, and personal loss, Joseph decided to act with grace.

Application
Obedience is often quiet. It rarely looks heroic in the moment. Joseph carried the weight of misunderstanding, wounded expectations, and unanswered questions. Yet he chose faithfulness without applause and kindness without explanation.

God often works through people who obey Him before they fully understand Him. Joseph did not yet know how the story would end, but heaven already knew his heart.

You may be facing a decision that feels heavy. One where doing the right thing is harder than doing the easy thing. Like Joseph, choose obedience rooted in trust. God sees what others do not, and He is always at work behind the scenes.

Truth For The Day
God honors quiet obedience, especially when it costs us something.

Pray
Lord, help me to trust You when obedience feels heavy and clarity feels distant. Give me a heart like Joseph’s, faithful, compassionate, and willing to follow You step by step. In Jesus’ name, Amen.