Luke 1:26-38 Gabriel visits Mary and tells her God’s plan for the birth of the Messiah. If she agrees, this will irreversibly change her life.

John 8:41

“You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.”

Luke 2:1-5 They had to travel approximately 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem over unpaved roads and significant elevation changes.

Luke 2:6-7 After Mary gave birth to Jesus, she laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:8-20 God announced the birth of His Son to some unnamed shepherds rather than the powerful rulers of the age.

Luke 2:21-24 From Leviticus 12:7-8 we know that the offering Joseph and Mary gave was a provision for those who could not afford a lamb and a pigeon. Simeon and Anna offered encouragement in the midst of it all.

Matthew 2:7-21 Now Herod orders a hit on the child to eliminate any threat to Herod’s legacy that he may pose later once he’s grown. The family becomes refugees in Egypt to escape the slaughter.

God doesn’t stop all suffering in the world; God doesn’t prevent all pain for His people; God didn’t even eliminate hardship for His own Son, but you can trust Him to get you through it.

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