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2020-02-26 to 28 Pictures: Charleston, South Carolina

One of the few upsides of having to cancel our Spring Break trip last March at the onset of the pandemic is that we are "stuck" with a rather large voucher from one of those discount airlines. Last autumn, Tricia and I spent a weekend in Savannah, Georgia and had a...

A John 3:16 Craft for Kids

John 3:16 is one of the most well known and reassuring verses in the Bible. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.John 3:16 (NIV) The following is a little craft I threw...

2020-03-01 Pictures: Lyndsey’s College Signing Day

This afternoon Lyndsey made it official, signing her letter of intent to play college basketball for the Hiram College Terriers starting next year. While she made the decision and committed to Hiram before Christmas, she has been looking forward to this day since her...

2020-02-13 Pictures: Lyndsey’s 18th Birthday

I am little behind on posting photos. These are some of my favorites from a couple of weekends ago when we got a chance to celebrate Lyndsey's 18th birthday. It's hard to believe that my little girl is officially an adult. It was nice to have the family all back...

What is DOCTRINE?

Introduction I love working with kids, and I love teaching them hard concepts in ways they can understand. To that end, for years I have been working on a dictionary of theological terms for kids and teens. In sharing those definitions, there seemed no better place to...

If You Want It Done Right

In all likelihood, you know how the phrase ends: If you want it done right, DO IT YOURSELF! This is a bit of a mantra for me, and frankly, something that I struggle with daily both in leadership and in my Christian walk.  In theory, this is easy to accept. ...

What Does God Hate?

This is the little and humble post that started it all. I happened to be reading through my Bible, and this passage impacted me so much that I posted a little blurb about it on Facebook. That was July 28, 2008, and I've been writing and sharing ever since. (Maybe...

It Came to Pass (December 13)

Dec13To view the entire 2011 Christmas Carol Advent check out our Christmas Carol Advent index page.

Video

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXabrkv1OHI

Story Behind the Song

Written and performed by Andrew Peterson, “It Came to Pass” was released on Andrew’s 2004 Christmas album Behold the Lamb of God. It is one of several songs from that album included in this year’s Christmas Carol advent – an album which you should definitely add to your collection.

Commentary & Analysis

I love the “folksy” telling of the days leading up to Christmas focusing primarily on Joseph. How many other Christmas songs mention Caeser’s census? It is amazing how God orchestrated everything for Jesus’ birth to be the ultimate fulfillment of prophecy. Each Christmas, I like to take some time to think about the stories of the Old Testament and how they pointed to and predicted the coming Messiah that we celebrate at Christmastime.

It is equally amazing how, in His providence, God orchestrates our own lives. God does not create us then step back and just allow things to happen to us. He orchestrates our lives in a mysterious way that still allows us free will but all falls within His grand plan for our lives. Take some time this Christmas season to praise God for His providence and direction in your life. His close personal involvement in our lives is a gift more precious than anything you will find under the tree this Christmas morning.

Questions for Further Reflection / Devotion

  1. Takes some time by yourself, or as a family, to reflect on those Old Testament stories. What do they tell you about Jesus?
  2. How important is the prophecy of the Bible in your own spiritual journey?
  3. Do you think Mary and/or Joseph had any idea or conception of what this baby they were about to have would do (or had done)?

Lyrics

It came to pass back in those days that Caesar, he decreed
A census would be taken of the Roman world, you see
So everyone packed up and headed back to their home towns
And this couple up from Galilee to Bethlehem was bound

So it came to pass this man named Joe was with his fiance
Back when her pregnancy began to show he planned to go away
But it came to pass that in a dream an angel of the Lord
Said, "Joseph, don’t you be afraid to marry Mary for
The little baby in her womb it is the Holy Spirit’s work
You may have read the prophet said a virgin would give birth

So it came to pass that Joseph was the noblest of men
With a woman on a donkey on their way to Bethlehem
And I wonder whether either was aware enough that day
To know the child would bring a Kingdom
and the old would come to pass away

Yes, it came to pass that Joseph was the noblest of men
With a woman on a donkey on their way to Bethlehem

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