Last year, around this date I was a new father. Sophie was just six months old. Christmas was coming, and being a new father I felt I had new insight into what Joseph and Mary might have felt and thought as they made the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
"Tonight I’m listening to the song, “Breath of Heaven” (by Amy Grant) with Lluvia and thinking about Mary and Joseph and a very hard journey they had to take. How torturous the trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem must have been! I think about Mary, and how uncomfortable the trip must have been for her, pregnant as she was. I can imagine her being worried sick about losing the baby, and only being a teenager. Poor Mary! I can imagine them having to make frequent stops because Mary couldn’t ride or walk anymore. I can imagine her and Joseph thinking about how “inconvenient” a trip of this kind would be. I can imagine Joseph looking at her during the trip and worrying about the state she was in. I can imagine him thinking to himself, “I can’t believe I have to leave my trade for this census, when I most need the money. I can’t believe that we have to make this trip with my wife ready to give birth at any moment – a trip from one end of the country to the other!” I very much doubt Ceasar was too concerned about how this law was “inconveniencing” his subjects. But they had no choice, this was the law and Ceasar’s word was absolute.
And I can imagine Joseph getting to Bethlehem, and Mary beginning to have birth pains and Joseph in a panic trying to find a suitable place for Mary to deliver. Poor Joseph! He may have thought, “Lord, You are in control of all of this; how could you let this happen now? In a stable, Lord? In a stable? Some husband I am, letting my wife give birth in these conditions!” I can imagine them having all of these thoughts despite the angel’s coming to them earlier, announcing the birth.
But this was exactly what God had in mind. He did everything
in the way that He knew would somehow be best. He did it exactly in the timing
that He knew would be best. And He was probably working in their hearts through
all of this, like He has worked in mine when I've had similar doubts. I've seen
God do incredible things (though I've never seen angels). And I have doubted
more than is healthy for my relationship with my loving, all-knowing God. I
have questioned the timing of many, many things, like bringing my wife and
newborn to the States. But God can handle my doubts. And I can learn from
Joseph and Mary."
