Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into 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 wife, who was with child, (Luke 2:4-5, Holy Bible, New Living Translation).
- Joseph, a descendant of David, had to travel from Nazareth, Galilee to Bethlehem, Judah to be counted in the census decreed by Caesar Augustus. The journey, estimated to between seventy and ninety miles (up to 140 kilometers) through rough terrain, had to be a major challenge for Mary, his espoused wife, heavy with child. I tried to visualize Mary on a donkey, a familiar Christmas-card scene. I can’t imagine her walking that distance either. No matter how she made that journey, it had to be uncomfortable if not down-right agonizing. She did not question the journey knowing that life would not be a smooth road, but understanding that each step led toward a promise.
- Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to enjoy the journey You have outlined for me.
- Devotion by Violet Carr Moore
Comments
Wow, thanks Violet for this devotional. I sometimes suffer with not being able to be as imaginative as I would like to be. You are right, I’m sure the journey was terribly hard on Mary but she did not complain. Thanks for your encouragement to me, that although life sometimes hands you lemons, make lemonade out of them. Life is a beautiful journey to be enjoyed but I all too often forget to enjoy it in the midst of difficult times.