The family has all arrived; four of us came by plane, nine by car and three live here. Thank God for modern conveniences. Mary and Joseph didn’t have those.
It’s only been about the last 15 or 20 years that I have begun to see what that trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was really like for them. 155 kilometers or approximately 96 miles. This trip would have taken many days, walking and riding a donkey.
“So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea. It was known as the town of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of David. 5 Joseph registered with Mary because she was engaged to marry him. (She was now pregnant.) 6 While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem, the time came for her to have the baby. 7 She gave birth to her first son. She wrapped him up well and laid him in a box where cattle are fed. She put him there because the guest room was full.” Luke 2:4-7
If they were able to keep a steady pace of 20 miles per day, it would have taken at least 5 days. Sleeping on the ground, cooking food over an open fire.
I do love to camp, sleeping in a tent – being around a campfire under the stars but breaking camp each morning and setting up again each evening would be a bit tedious and then add to that the discomfort of being nine months pregnant.
Dave and I used to travel a lot and it was always so nice to get to the hotel after twelve hours on the road, get something warm to eat and crawl into a nice bed. But when Mary and Joseph got to their destination their accommodations weren’t quite as welcoming.
Those of us who’ve had livestock know that even when we clean the stalls each day – removing the manure, putting down clean bedding- it still isn’t a place that we would like to give birth. Joseph was Mary’s birth coach and delivery team – he was the midwife! Just the two of them bringing God’s Son into this earthly home.
“Think how much the Father loves us. He loves us so much that he lets us be called his children, as we truly are.” I John 3:1
God loved us so much that He sent His Son so that we could become His children. AMAZING!!
And what manner of love Mary and Joseph had for God and for each other to go through this difficult journey and less than “perfect” birthing experience. Still they glorified God and gave Him thanks for His wondrous gift.
Is your Christmas this year difficult, not exactly what you had planned?
When our hearts are open God can, and does, fill them with His wonderful love. He can and will fill the loneliness, ease the ache and give us a reason to be thankful. May you experience that love in a very special way.
From our home to yours, Merry Christmas Eve!
