The Road May Not Be What You Want

Today is Christmas Eve, and I’ve thought about it being the day before Christmas. As a child, that meant the day before Santa came and delivered presents. It was filled with lots of excitement and anticipation. I knew it was the day everyone celebrated Jesus’s birth, but Santa won out in my young heart.

As I got older, I realized that nothing in Santa’s bag could ever compare to the gift of Jesus being born. Christmas Eve now has a different meaning; it is still filled with excitement and anticipation, but I’ve recently started thinking about this night from Mary’s point of view.

We know that Mary and Joseph made the long journey to Bethlehem because the emperor, Caesar Augustus, had decreed a census, and Joseph was required to go to Bethlehem, the city of his ancient ancestor, King David, to register. Mary was extremely pregnant and could probably have stayed behind because of that, but she decided to go with Joseph.

“How much longer until we get there?” If you’ve ever taken a trip with a small child, you will have heard that phrase a few hundred times. Children have no concept of time, and a few hours can seem like forever. I used to tell my children how long the trip would be in terms they might understand. Full House was one of their favorite shows, and since it was 30 minutes long, I would say, “It will be 2 Full Houses” if we were an hour away.

Kids can get bored sitting in a car for hours. Most kids have iPads or phones to watch and play to pass the time away, but they still get whiny and hungry and have to stop to use the bathroom every few miles. They sit in a comfy seat, surrounded by a closed cabin with climate control heat and air, so they should be content. I’m not sure if the trip seems longer for them or the parents. 🙄

Mary and Jospeh’s trip was around 80 miles, which would only be 3 Full Houses by car, but Mary wasn’t traveling by car. She was sitting side saddle on a donkey on a rocky, dusty road/path. There were no paved roads or McDonald’s to drive through for a quick snack or bathroom break. She was not sitting in a nice, comfy seat, and I’m sure the donkey was hot, sweaty, and stinky. If you’ve been pregnant, you know that there is no position you can sit or lie and be comfortable.

I love the song Mary, Did You Know; it is one of my favorite songs. I’ve often wondered what was going through Mary’s mind so many times. She had an angel appear to her and tell her she would be the mother of God’s child. Just let that sink in for a minute. Can you imagine the disbelief, awe, wonder, responsibility, joy, and honor of being chosen for this incredible task?

When the reality of everything started to set in, did she panic? Did she second-guess her decision? Joseph thought she had been unfaithful, and I’m sure everyone she knew thought the same thing. She had to be the subject of all the local gossip, and even though she knew the truth, could she hold her head up high?

Mary was probably like all new mothers. She might have been nervous about bringing a child into the world, and I’m sure she had envisioned the whole thing in her mind. I doubt she ever thought she would have her baby without her family and friends to support her. The idea of having the baby in a stable far away from where she lived would never have crossed her mind. But God had a different plan.

Micah 5:2

² “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

The Book of Micah prophesied that around 700 years before the birth of Jesus, His birthplace would be in Bethlehem. You might be traveling down a road like Mary and unhappy about the circumstances. Your path might be rocky, filled with danger, and you might ask the Lord, “How much longer.”

Psalm 31:24

²⁴ Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Take heart: you may not know what is around the bend or what the future holds, but the one true God does! He alone knows how many more Full Houses there are before you get where you are going.

To GOD Goes The Glory!

Have A Blessed Day!