In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (Luke 2:1, 4-5 NIV)
Traveling to Bethlehem because of a government ordered decree to participate in the census had to have been a hardship on Mary who was very near her time to give birth. But, Joseph and Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem because it was required by the emperor. Joseph and Mary were not the only families traveling to the home of the heads of their households; to the home of the lineage of the father. When they got to Bethlehem there was not even a room in the inn for them let alone a home. There were multitudes who had to make such a journey. It was surely a major inconvenience for them to drop any plans they had for their own immediate futures and make this journey. They were; after all, settled in various places throughout the land. But, they did it to fulfill the law of the land.
Christians, who are born again into the household of God, are also making their journeys home. We live in various places throughout the world; sometimes moving about, sometimes not. But, for all who believe, our journey will end in our Father's house in the heavenly realms. This journey home is not a requirement of law. It is a journey made by faith in the promise of a home prepared for us by Jesus. The journey will include some inconveniences. It will include some hardships. But, the promise of living in the presence of our Father in heaven every minute of every hour for all eternity is well worth the journey.
May God help us to stay on the road that will take us to our heavenly home.
God's Peace - Pr. J
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