On this day many years ago, I would imagine Mary and Joseph making the long, tiring trip to Bethlehem in order to be counted in the census that was set to take place (Luke 2:1). While on their journey and 9 months pregnant, the pains begin to hit Mary, yet she pushed on because they had a destination in mind. As they got closer to Bethlehem, I can only imagine the amount of pain Mary was going through as Joseph searched for a place for them to lay; yet she pushed on. With all the inns being full, they ended up in an animal stable without so much as a place for the baby to lie but see that didn’t stop Mary so she pushed on because she knew what her purpose was. So, as she labored she couldn’t allow herself to give up because she knew that through her pain and through her pushing she would be bringing forth God’s only Son. A Son who was destined for greatness in spite of where He was born, His purpose had already been set. See, it doesn’t matter about the location of our birth or even the surroundings of our living that determines our gift because we, too, are destined for greatness. Yea, this is why Jeremiah 1:5 says, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” Yea, I know you thought your past arrest record would hinder you but it won’t. You thought your past addiction would stop you from prospering but it can’t. You thought that old disease was going to take you out and you even thought all of the hell you’ve been through would break you down but it shall not. No, because it doesn’t matter about your location, whether you’re up or down and it doesn’t really matter about your circumstances because God doesn’t call the qualified but he qualifies those he calls. Don’t you know by now that He can take you; a drug addict, alcoholic, whoremonger, adulterer, liar, backbiter and sinner; pick you up, put you through the fire to erase everything you’ve done in the past and bring you out shining like pure gold? Psalm 71:20 says, “You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.”
God isn’t worried about where you used to be as long as you push through your pain, now, to get to where you ought to be. God isn’t worried about who you used to trust as long as you trust him, now. God doesn’t worry about where you came from as long as you don’t go back there. Yea, this journey won’t be easy and sometimes giving up seems like the right thing to do but push through your pain. Your journey may have some bumps called haters to go over, some potholes called enemies to go around, some ice called lies to slide on and some dead-ends called mistakes that make you want to turn around but go on because it’s your journey! God is in the renewing business and once you’ve been renewed, you’ll be refreshed and with refreshing comes restoration and with restoring comes a new shine that’ll make you look brand new then all of the old things won’t matter because if you’re in Christ, you’re a new creature and all of the old things are passed away (2 Corinthians 5:17). It doesn’t matter that you were abused, because God can heal you. It doesn’t matter if you use to steal because God will forgive you. It doesn’t matter if you were raised in the projects because God will take the little that you got and turned it into a lot. It doesn’t matter about what folks say because God already has you’re future planned and not even the devil can change that. See, God doesn’t count the starters because he is only concerned about the finishers and it doesn’t matter if you’re last because with God in control, the last shall be first! God is that type of God and I’m glad to be in his number so push on through your pain to get the blessing that will soon be born.
Lakisha, the Author 