"...Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod..." Matthew 2:1
We worship a sovereign God who rules over time, history, and our lives. Our existence is no accident. We are each here, at this point in history, for a reason. There is a design and purpose for us to be alive and breathing "during the time of.... " We can each fill in the blank to describe the time in which we live. Be it our own personal struggles, those of our family, the decline of society and culture, or the growing evil in the world, we can each name individuals or events that characterize and define any given point of our lives. We often feel helpless as we watch circumstances unfold around us and wonder what we are here for. But just as Jesus arrived "during the time of King Herod" so too, our arrival and presence at this particular time is no accident, but the intentional providence of God. Just like Esther of old, we too have been born for such a time as this.
Throughout the Advent story, almost every account begins with a phrase referencing time: "In the time of Herod king of Judea," "In the sixth month," At that time," "When it was time," "In those days Caesar Augustus," "On the eighth day, when it was time." There is intention behind this. It is meant to convey that these were real events that occurred during well-documented periods of history, with well-known rulers and governments. But there is a spiritual reason as well. God wants us to know that he is the one that orders history, that his purposes stand, and that he accomplishes these through people that he raises up at specific times and places. It may be that we never rule over people, or attain power and wealth, but we are here to accomplish those good works that God has prepared in advance for us to do. These good works are specific to how God has designed us - our gifts, skills, talents and experiences. We have been intentionally created to be who we are, at this time, in order to be used by God in the lives of those around us. This should not only give us hope in the midst of circumstances that seem so out of our control, it should also empower us to actively seek out a deeper understanding of who we have been designed to be, and what it is we have been created to do. There is no person, situation, or event that can interfere with who we are, whose we are, or thwart what we are here for. So regardless of how helpless we feel at times, or how powerless we think we are before those who hold power, we are not. The God of the universe is the one ordering our days, and he is the one in control.
"During the time of...." These words do not just mark time or define ages of history; they offer us fresh perspective on our lives. As we reflect on all of the events that played out over two thousand years ago, we see person after person used uniquely and powerfully to accomplish God's purpose for them as well as his purpose for history. Not one was hindered by tyrannical rulers, inconvenient decrees, family members, poor living conditions or constant upheaval. On the contrary, every one of these realities actually set up the way each person was to fulfill God's plan for their lives. God ordained every situation in order to refine hearts and accomplish his eternal and historical purpose for each life. Instead of viewing our lives as being at the mercy of other people and controlled by circumstances that seem out of our control, we can choose to embrace God's purpose for us in the midst of it all. "During the time of...." is a clarion call to our hearts this Advent. It admonishes us to let go of our perceived helplessness and hopelessness and move out, empowered by the sovereignty of Almighty God, with renewed vision for what God has ordered for our lives. Let's discover, or rediscover, who we are and what we are called to do, for we have been uniquely designed and were born for such a time as this.