Christmas Musing #21 Christmas Journey

 ⁴ 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, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. Luke 2:4-5 English Standard Version

               Today, Christy and I drove from Cloudcroft, New Mexico to Lubbock, Texas, as distance of two-hundred-sixty-one miles on Highway 82. It took us about four and half hours. We drive this route frequently. Christy likes to get the driving out of the way, so we get up early. In fact, she likes to leave quickly, so she packs the day before. The road between Cloudcroft and Artisia was fogged in. In the mountains it was quite beautiful with the early morning sun periodically gilding the trees, fences, houses, and yes cows. Of course, I did have to watch out for deer; but, the journey is easily completed. We do not even have to stop for gas. With my cellphone plugged into the car for music, pleasant conversation with Christy, and the self-driving aids turned on, the trip passes rather quickly, unlike the journey for Joseph and a pregnant Mary.

               Bethlehem is about sixty miles from Nazareth; however, that would be a straight line, as the crow flies distance. Given that Joseph and Mary were observant Jews, they probably went around Samaria, possibly adding another thirty miles or so to the trek. Imagine undertaking such a journey being nine months pregnant! While the Biblical record makes no mention of a donkey, or any beast of burden, I find it hard to fathom a woman walking ninety miles right before she gives birth. Such a trip would take somewhere between one and two weeks. Whatever the route and whether Mary road or walked or not does not really matter. A decree from Caesar impelled them to decamp Nazareth and head for Bethlehem, the city of David, or was it prophetic utterance that made them head south.

               Much of contemporary Christian practice centers around God doing good things for or to me. We tend to think about how my relationship with God solves problems temporal and spiritual. I’m the same way. I try to make my prayer life about praising God for His holiness and thanking Him for His great grace and blessing; but I fear that much of my prayer centers around petitioning God for things that I want. Even our hymnody has shifted. Much of our worship music focuses on a personal relationship with God and what He does for me. God does love us and yearn to bless us, and I’m not saying that we should not beseech Him for His blessing and favor. Yet, I cannot read scripture and escape that conclusion that often God asks His people to do difficult things and be in uncomfortable situations. Advent is no exception.

               In order to fulfill prophecy, Joseph and Mary had to take on a journey at the worst possible time, when Mary was about to deliver. That is how it unfolded. Joseph and his bride to be trudged mile after dusty mile. We do not know how long it took; we can only guess. How did they find lodging during the journey? Was the Bethlehem stable the first, or was it just one in a string of stables? All of these questions, while interesting, are immaterial. Joseph and Mary made the trip and Jesus was born in David’s City. But that journey pales when compared with the journey from heaven to earth, from Divine Creator to squalling Baby, from Heaven’s throne to nowheresville Nazareth. It seems that travel during Christmas enjoys a very long tradition.