“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth…

4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.”

Considering that Jesus was born shortly after Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, the following picture forms in my mind:

A couple, the woman about to give birth to a baby and riding on a donkey, travelling from Nazareth to Bethlehem (about 70 Miles), arriving after about two and a half days of travel. They didn’t have a reservation at a local hotel (no reception for the smart phone), so they probably spent another half day looking for a place to stay!

Anyway … Mary and Joseph’s situation was not a good one! We don’t know how they handled the stress. What we do know is that there was great peace and joy after Mary gave birth to the Son of God in a manger.

Sometimes God will give us tasks to perform. Sometimes those tasks can be nearly impossible to accomplish and may even cause injury, sickness and despair. In the end, the task will have been successfully completed and we will have learned a great deal about ourselves, God and having faith in Him!

This was a challenging task for Mary and Joseph to accomplish. Yet they did it and there was joy and celebration at the end of uncertainty and suffering.  When Jesus lay in the manger, Joseph and Mary had accomplished God’s will!  Merry Christmas!

Have A Blessed Day!