December 15
Joy in the Journey
Luke 2:1–5
“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.”
It would have taken almost a week to make the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Even though riding a donkey was the best method of transportation Mary and Joseph had available to them this couldn’t have been comfortable for a pregnant woman. But the beautiful idea of carrying the baby who would carry the presence of God to everyone, created joy in Mary’s heart. The road to Bethlehem was long, yet joy accompanied them because of what the Lord had spoken through the angel. God’s promises sustain weary travelers.