In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 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, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. ~Luke 2:1-7 (ESV)
This passage of Scripture from Luke’s gospel is a reminder that Joseph and Mary lived the journey God called forth from their lives. They traveled from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea. And while they were there, Mary gave birth of her first born son and Joseph completed his family’s registration. Profoundly, the sacred and the secular met recording for eternity the Good News of God with us.
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). ~Matthew 1:22-23
My husband and I have traveled to many places in the past twelve months. And while we were there we experienced funerals, birthdays, weddings, formal meetings and informal conversations at microbreweries. Our Christmas card highlighted the good news that we have now each been in all 50 of the United States. For another year, we have lived the journey God was calling forth from our lives. And at the many intersections of the sacred and the secular, we stopped to remember again who is with us, Immanuel!
Thank You, Lord, for being with us, God with us.
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