Luke continues his interview with the events leading up to the birth of her Child.
LUKE: You must have been glad to be home in Nazareth after visiting Elizabeth.
MARY: Yes, she was so kind that I hated to leave, but I knew that Joseph and my parents waited for me. She had her own preparations to make as well.
LUKE: What happened when you got home?
MARY: Joseph had our house finished. He must have worked night and day for the three months I was gone. It was a cozy home with whitewashed walls, right next to the carpenter shop that belonged to him and used to be his father’s. Mother helped me get settled and had even finished weaving the blanket I started when I was betrothed.
LUKE: Was there any gossip about your trip so soon after your marriage?
MARY: (laughs) There certainly was! I’m afraid poor Joseph had the worst of it, though. Soon I could no longer conceal the fact that I was pregnant. Then we had to pretend to ignore the whispers and winks. Some tried to be understanding. I heard a neighbor talking to Joseph one day. ‘You aren’t the only man to have hurried the wedding along,’ he said. ‘People forget quickly, though. Very few remember that I married my Abigail only six months before Jesse was born.’
LUKE: I suppose it happens in all villages.
MARY: (nods) We had our special secret to comfort us, though. Our angelic visitors were something we discussed often. ‘How will this Child be different?’ Joseph asked me often. I had no answer.
LUKE: Tell me why you went to Bethlehem before the Baby was born.
MARY: It was a strange thing. Joseph and I often talked about the prophecy that said Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. We couldn’t figure out how that would be fulfilled since we were living in Nazareth.
LUKE: What happened?
MARY: One day a group of Roman soldiers rode into Nazareth. We all ran to our homes. The leader went to the rabbi’s house and gave him a scroll. ‘See that you obey,’ was all he said. (she paused)
LUKE: And…?
MARY: It was an order, a decree, from the Emperor. Every man had to travel to his ancestral home for a census. That meant Joseph had to go to Bethlehem. His heritage traced back to David, who was born in Bethlehem, and so did mine.
LUKE: Surely wives didn’t have to go with their husbands.
MARY: Many went anyway. Joseph and I both knew that I had to go. How else would the prophecy be fulfilled? Mother was not happy with our decision. ‘You are only a few weeks from the birth of your child,’ she scolded. I tried to assure her that we would be back in time for the birth, but it didn’t help.
LUKE: So you made the trip?
MARY: Yes, I rode a donkey part of the way. I walked some and for the trek down the Jericho valley I was able to ride with another woman in a litter. My labor started before we reached Bethlehem, but I didn’t tell Joseph until we reached the edge of the town. ‘I will find us a place to stay,’ he promised and hurried off.
LUKE: Was there any room to stay?
MARY: (shakes her head) Not at first. My poor Joseph came back with his head hanging. ‘Everyone turned me away. They all say they are full,’ he told me. ‘God will provide a place,’ I encouraged him. “I will come with you.’ ‘Please, my wife is going to have a baby,’ he begged the innkeeper. This time the man suggested that we could bed down in the straw in the caves where the ewes lambed.
LUKE: That must have been frightening.
MARY: Not really. I was sure God was in control. Joseph didn’t know what to do, so I had to direct him how to get water and the swaddling clothes ready. Before dawn my Baby was born.
LUKE: How wonderful.
MARY: (smiles tenderly) Yes, He was perfect. He had such tiny hands and feet! I stroked his black curls while he nursed. Joseph made a nest of straw for me on the floor and one in the nearby manger for Jesus. It was really quite warm and surprisingly soft when he spread the blanket from the donkey over the straw.
Sometimes it is hard to remember that God is in charge of all the details. Like Mary and Joseph we might wonder how the prophecy is going to be fulfilled. Then, a ‘miracle’ happens and all the pieces come together. The way things happen is rarely the way we would have planned, though. Mary would never have chosen a stone manger for her baby's bed, but she trusted that God was in control.
The final verse of Great is Thy Faithfulness helps me remember why Jesus was born and the truth that God is still with us and is in control of all things.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!
How do you encourage yourself to remember that Christ is near at all times?
Are there special songs, readings, psalms, or other aids that help you stay connected to God?
For me, the stories of the Bible are important reminders of God’s everlasting loving kindness.
On Christmas Eve, we’ll hear what Mary tells Luke about the visit of the Shepherds.
As promised, the book special this week (Dec. 20-25) is 25% off any of my books. You can only get this special by emailing me and noting Blog Special in the memo line.
