Overwhelmed and tired. That is what Mary and Joseph must have felt in the days following Jesus’ birth. They had no family and friends to support them. All their familiar surroundings are miles away. Their routines have been interrupted by the travel for the census. All the small details of Jesus’ life are omitted. So little is said and so much is not said. Our daughter and son-in-law take thousands of pictures. Only a few make it to their BLOG to become part of the public record of their lives with their two children. None of the blurry pictures make it past the Delete button. The too personal ones stay private. Scripture only records what we need to know about Jesus’ life. Only the details that help us understand God’s intervention in human history are part of Scripture. There are no wasted words, no unimportant details. Every detail of Scripture is there because it has survived the editing process of God. Remember, Scripture is God-breathed. He moved on the hearts and spirits of His people as they wrote. His message got recorded for us to examine. So when you see a little detail, that detail is put there by God Himself. Don’t run past it without examining it. How does it fit in the greater context and message of the passage? What would be said if the detail were omitted? What does including it add to our understanding? I want to encourage you to slow down in your reading of Scripture. Pay closer attention to the details. I want to also encourage you to slow down in life. We often get so busy we miss the important details, the moments that really should be cherished. Cherish the moments. We never know which ones are worth keeping until we take time to cherish them while they are happening. Our kids don’t need to be involved in every activity. It won’t keep them out of college. Not studying will! Help them to cherish their moments.
The Arnold Journey 