As I sit and wrap gifts tonight for the boys I can't help but appreciate the quiet in the house. The boys are at their dads and I am enjoying the quietness of the house. No fart jokes, no odd mine craft YouTube videos shoved in my face because it is the coolest thing ever... nope just me and the dog and the quiet.
I mean if I am being totally honest the dog is snoring like crazy, so sort of quiet.
All this has got me thinking about the first Christmas.... It would have been about 10 days out when they left Nazareth and Headed to Bethlehem, if my math was close.
I wonder what Mary was thinking about on their 90 or so mile trip to Bethlehem. Can we just take a moment to appreciate the fact that the "Bread of life, ie... Jesus" was born in the city called the "house of Bread... ie.... Bethlehem".
I love those little "ironic" things that happen all through the Bible.
They would have probably traveled about 10 miles or less a day depending on the weather and her condition. It was probably getting into the rainy season, and pretty chilly. Mary, sweet Mary was so very big and pregnant. She was weeks away.
I remember what it was like the last couple weeks for me when I was about to have my Luke. I was not a fun person to be around. I had to pee every 10 mins, I was hungry and tired all the time, but I couldn't get comfortable because the tiny life sucking person inside me was moving non stop. On the rare occasion that I did manage to find a way to sit that was sort of comfortable I had like 10 min's before I would have to get up to pee again.
Here we see Mary sitting on a donkey for 90 miles in very treacherous ground. They would have to tend with, wild animals like Bear, Lion, and Boar or even people who would try and rob them of their food and water. They did have to pack ample food and water so they would be easy targets to go after. Easy picken's if you think about it.
We don't actually hear much about the trip but if you look back to see what they might have had to go through, it wasn't all smooth paved roads with an ice-cream stand on the corner. I am sure they both had to work hard on their trip, as they did every day. Mary knew what a hard days work was like so getting dirty and working hard was something she probably knew very well.
Isn't it beautiful, that even as they traveled God had His hand going before them clearing the way all they kept doing was moving forward toward the destination.
I would imagine if they had been fiercely attacked by a hungry pack of lions and God saved them it would have made it in the bible. But since we didn't hear much about it, I would say nothing like that did happen. Maybe it did, and either way it didn't make it in the Bible.
They made it safe and sound to the the place they needed to be.
I can't help but wonder what was going through their minds. Where did they sleep? Would they run into trouble? Joseph might be thinking.... "Good night woman we just stopped so you could pee 2 miles back"...
I absolutely love the beauty of it. The simplicity of it. The humble way the creator of everything stepped out of heaven and chose to become dependent on that in which He created. All the while before He arrived, The Father was setting things up for him, He was preparing a way for Jesus, the Bread of Life entering into the world through His creation, in a town called the House of Bread.
And to know that everything He did was to restore the relationship between God and man. He wanted a relationship with us. Poor sad, selfish, cranky humans.
On days like today, when I feel like the world is coming at me from all sides, that the enemy keeps telling me I am nothing, I am worthless, I am reminded that He did all of this for me. He came here for me. Because I am valuable to Him. I am important to Him, and He is the only one who can define my worth, my value.
It was a peaceful night. A night that I needed so very much. A reminder of sorts as I wrapped the gifts for the boys, that the greatest gift that I, and humanity, ever received was the night the King of Kings stepped out of heaven for me.
I am so thankful for that gift. So amazed at how much love He had for us. I look around at the mess we live in, and He still loves us and wants to be with us. No matter the mess we are in.
Jesus made it a point through His life to catch people off guard, like I posted in the last post about the woman at the well. They never seen Him coming, He showed up and changed their life. I guess He was acting like his Father. God had a way of just showing up and changing peoples lives, and people never seen Him coming either.....
" Hey Mary congrats's you're gonna have a baby" (Life officially changed)
"Hey Joseph you're gonna be a step dad" (Life officially changed)
Weather it was a burning bush, or a host of 😇😇😇 angles to announce to a couple shepherds the arrival of the Savior, His son, God had a way of showing up and changing lives.
I don't know about you but I sure am glad he did show up. He changed my life, gave me a new heart. Now the enemy can walk about like a Lion roaring and seeking whom he can devour, but ... (oh that but) the King of Kings has already won that battle. He came to earth for me and you.
What I wouldn't give to have seen that first Christmas. More so, I can not wait to see the eastern sky roll back and the King of Kings step through to come get us. Oh man.... what a day that will be, when my savior I see...
I hope everyone one has a wonderful Christmas. I hope you enjoy the smiles, the laughs, and the love. Mostly I hope you know personally the one who loves you more then you can ever know. I hope you get a chance to just spend some time getting to know Him, to love Him and just be in His presence.
He came for you and me. Joy to the world the Lord has Come!
Merry Christmas!
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