Knowing the time for Mary to give birth to the Son of God was getting very close, the announcement from Caesar Augustus that a census should be taken of the entire Roman World (the first of its kind while Quirinius was governor of Syria) would have appeared to be the worst timing! Now everyone had to go to their own town to register, which meant a trip to Bethlehem for this young couple.
Chaos ensued as travellers from all over descended upon Bethlehem looking for a place to stay but with Joseph and Mary’s arrival, there was no room in the Inn but there were able to stay in a stable.
We know how this story continues, the birth of Jesus, the announcement to the Shepherds, the word spreading like wildfire as the Shepherds departed from Bethlehem and Mary treasuring all this things and pondering them in her heart.
Fast forward to 2021 and there seems to be a lot of distraction and discouragement again as we process COVID and every new variant that shows up just as the last one seems to get “under control”. I wonder if our enemy Satan is just as active today, seeking to bring distraction and discouragement to a world that is longing for peace and hope.
God sent His Son into the world to bring us lasting peace and hope that is not dependent on government decrees. Let us prepare Him room in our hearts this Christmas. We have been given the greatest gift already.
