7 Days til Christmas

Wonder what Joseph and Mary were doing one week before the first Christmas?  Regardless of when the actual date of the birth of Christ was there was one week until...  The trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem was about 80 miles and probably took about a week.  If that's the case they were probably just beginning the trip.  Since everyone was required to return to their birth place they were not alone on the trip, but with Mary's condition it would be safe to assume that they did not keep pace with those they set out with. 

I wonder how Joseph was doing leading up to being a new dad?  For that matter, I wonder how Mary was doing with the situation.  Needless to say, Mary was probably handling it much better than Joseph.  As they walked, they talked (remember they weren't married yet).  I'll probably pay for that. 

Joseph had visions of his son taking over in the furniture business (even without sonograms they knew Jesus would be a boy, because God, who cannot lie told them).  Think about it, Mary was the one of two mothera of her day that knew the sex of her child before birth.  John (born to her cousin Elisabeth) would be the other.  Mary even knew her child's name.  Elisabeth would have had Zacharias not been so stubborn.


So for at least one week they were on the road.  Today, the 100-mile journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem takes two or three hours by car. But 2,000 years ago, when the Bible says Mary and Joseph traveled to participate in the census of Caesar Augustus, the trip could have taken between 7 to 10 days.

The exact route used by Mary and Joseph is not recorded in the Bible story. But the most likely route would have been straight through the Jordan Valley.  The one problem with this route is that it would have taken them through Samaria. This was a fairly rough route with many dangers in addition to the fact that Jewish people detested Samaritans.  Did this keep Joseph from taking this route?  I don't know.

The other possible route is the one Joseph and Mary could have traveled would have taken them southeast across the Jezreel Valley, connecting with the Jordan Valley, then level or slightly down in elevation all the way to Jericho, then up through the Judaean Desert to Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Since I wasn't there, I don't know how they got there, but they did.  Regardless of the route, it was long, rugged and tiring.  Think about it, what doctor would allow a pregnant woman to travel on foot and by donkey 80 miles one week prior to birth?  Guess what?  They didn't ask the doctor.  Good thing, he might have made them stay in Nazareth and fax their papers.  Oh right, no fax machines. 

What we do know is that they left Nazareth arrived in Bethlehem and Jesus was born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger "because there was no room for them in the inn."  We do know that sheep and shepherds were there and that angels from heaven announced His birth and adored His person.  We do know that that His first night went practically ignored by those who thought they knew what life was about.  The truth is He is still being ignored by those who think that they know what life is all about.

One of His disciples tells it this way:

"All things were made through Him, and without Him, nothing was made that was made.  In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it...He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive him.  But as many as did receive Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:3-5, 10-12).
Christmas is one week away.  The world was not expecting His arrival then.  It seems that the world could care less of His presence now.  Nonetheless, He is God's Son.  He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  He is the most significant individual that has ever set foot in this world.  More importantly, He was born to die so that I could live.  And I do live.  I live because He lives in me. 

Christmas is one week away, but for me it is everyday.  Because He lives in me I can worship Him anytime, all the time, all day and everyday.  He changes lives.  He will change your life.  Remember, as many as did receive Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name." 

It is as easy as A-B-C.  Admit you are a sinner (your flesh will fight you on thise).  Believe that He is God's Son (if you get passed A, this becomes much easier).  Then Confess that you desperately need Him, want Him and are willing to trust Him entirely.  Turn your entire life over to Him by REPENTING of sin and surrendering fully.

Merry Christmas!!!