Read Matthew 2.Take a closer look at Matthew 2:13-14. FOLLOWING Christ requires an immediate response. Notice when the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said to "get up and go", Joseph didn't hesitate. Seemingly, he didn't ask any questions, he didn't hit the snooze button and wait until morning, he didn't take time to analyze the situation and make a "rational" decision, he didn't "pray about it"; he got up, in the middle of the night, and went immediately. God did not protect Joseph and Mary and their child without their cooperation. Protection required immediate obedience to God's directions, which in this case involved fleeing the country.
FOLLOWING Christ's baptism in Matthew 3, God immediately responded (3:16-17). When Christ called the first disciples to FOLLOW Him they dropped what they were doing and FOLLOWED Him immediately. How do we depend on others to respond immediately? (e.g. firefighters, policemen, etc.) Who depends on us to respond immediately? What hesitations do you have in FOLLOWING Christ? What things do we allow to distract us from an immediate response?
Understand this, God may allow some things into our lives that are hard to understand so that we can learn some valuable lessons and so that He can accomplish His purposes in unexpected ways. We still must respond immediately, without hesitation. Christ began His life as a refugee and stranger in another country. To our limited understanding, it would have been easier if God had removed Herod immediately, avoiding the escape to Egypt and all the difficulty involved with getting there. If Joseph thought this, it didn't affect his response. It's also important to know that even after one situation is resolved, there may be other problems to face. God's protection, guidance and care for His FOLLOWERS is always necessary because our spiritual enemy never ceases the attack.
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