Day 1037: A Christmas like no other! - Luke 2 vs 1- 7

1-2  In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.  This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3-5 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6-7 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Luke 2:1-7 English Standard Version

As it will be Christmas day when this is posted, I thought I'd use a previous entry from the series on Luke's gospel back in 2022, and pick up again on John's gospel in the next post.

'Christmas' is big business in the world. But look how simply the 'first Christmas' is told in the New Testament. Yet, much like today, the first event was also a time of crowds and rush. How do you think most of the Jewish population felt when they heard they must go to their ancestral towns to be registered? Do you think it was easy for Mary and Joseph to have the hassle of a strenuous trip at this time of her life? Imagine how Joseph must've felt as a husband when he struggled to find decent lodgings for his heavily pregnant wife?

Sometimes our situation in life can also be a time of upheaval and hassles. Even at Christmas. It may be due to Government rules, having to move, crowds, failed bookings, unexpected pregnancy, and a host of other things. Sometimes it may even be a serious illness and frequent hospital visits, and the frustrations that come with that. How do you usually react at such times? (Sadly, I know I can be grumpy and impatient.)

But think of how Mary may have felt having her baby when and where she did? Most mothers would've wanted to prepare a pretty baby room. Yet, in all these topsy-turvy conditions, God was at work! The inconvenient timing . . . the crowds and the rush . . . the makeshift nursery . . . none of these things prevented God from bringing about one of the most wonderful moments in the history of mankind . . . the birth of His Son in the world; the arrival of the one who was to be the Saviour of sinners.

I hesitate to draw attention again to ourselves from a story that is about Jesus, but what happened there is a lovely example of Romans 8:28 where Paul says: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him, and are called according to his purpose.” The next time we encounter situations that hassle us – think of Joseph and Mary at that 'first Christmas'.

God is greater than any hassles in life we may have to face. But more importantly, let us take time today to reflect again on the wonder of this event – that Jesus Christ was born into our world. He became flesh and lived among us! How wonderful is that!