Every day, every moment in a Christian’s life is soaked in spiritual warfare. Whether we’re aware of it or not. I know I struggle with stuff all the time with the attitude that it’s just sort of generic “struggling”; often, I don’t consider the spiritual fight-what’s really taking place. These battles are usually launched by yet another encounter with my sin nature, and they typically begin with a self-demeaning thought.
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Leviticus 12:8 (NIV) If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’”Luke 2:23 (NIV) (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” a), 24 and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.

Mary and Joseph were obviously poor people. They could not afford a lamb for the ceremonial sacrifice, so they purchased a dove. This young poor couple left what little they had, to travel far away. They traveled to Bethlehem in obedience to the Roman law. While the Romans were in charge, God was in control. Today for example, we make work in jobs where someone else is in charge, but God is always in control. Read the rest of this entry