11 December 2019

Anyone know why this is called the “silly season?” Is it because a lot of us bite off more than we can chew? We say yes to more and more things and run around frazzled trying to complete everything before we go on holidays?

Why does the boss decide to do “spring cleaning” finalizing projects this time of the year? Why do all the schools, groups, etc put on all their concerts, award nights all in the same few weeks? Why do we feel like we have to outdo last year’s Christmas celebration? More, More, More.

I’ve often thought that Mary must have felt, “Oh great, I’m about to have a baby and Emperor Augustus has called for a census. Could he not have chosen a better time?” Now just does not suit. Mary would understand the pressures put on by things, work, circumstances and having a baby.

That census may not mean much to us but to Mary it meant she, being engaged to Joseph, had to travel to the town where his family was to be registered. For Joseph, (and Mary) that meant travelling from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. Luke 2:3-4

Do you know how far this is to travel? By foot it is 156.7 km or 97.37 miles!! (from google maps)

This would take an average person 33 hours to walk non-stop. If we walked it doing 8 hours a day, it would take us 4 days and 1 hour to walk.

Hang on a minute – Mary and Joseph would have been used to walking everywhere – no cars in that day and age. Easy then?

But NO for she was close to her time in giving birth. So how fast do you think she could waddle? I’m not being mean or dishonouring here, but nearly all of us waddle at that stage of the pregnancy.

I’m actually trying to honour Mary by how again she said yes with no complaint. How do we know this? Well I feel it would have been written down if she had complained because sometimes us women are good at telling our side of a story.

Think of Esther, the queen having to go before the king with a request which she did not want to do at first – this is recorded. Then in her resolve to do it, she says if I die, I die – this is recorded. Her thoughts and feelings are recorded for us to learn from.

In the Old Testament, Moses’ frustration with the complaining people of Israel is recorded, Jonah lets out his feelings to God about how God chose to save Nineveh and Jonah was not happy… this has all been recorded.

But Mary, not a murmur. She chose once again to humble herself and follow God’s plan for her Life.

Mary, the blessed Mother of Our Lord, chosen by God, still had all the normal pregnancy feelings and discomforts like most of us pregnant women.

But now she has to walk, ride a donkey, get to Bethlehem anyway she can.

The bumps in the road? Oh, so painful. The discomfort of sleeping on the road? Oh, so uncomfortable. Not even being at home to give birth, not even a room in a local hotel, but she had to make do in a Manger.

It’s like this Saviour is showing us what Humble is. What precious love He is displaying to us that He does not need the MORE for Himself but comes to a simple town in a simple manger.

I wonder if the inn keeper knew who they had turned away that night, would he have given Mary her own bedroom?

Oh, so many thoughts go through my mind about this time of Jesus’ birth.

He, the King of Kings, does not come with any pomp and ceremony. No royal crown or royal robes to lay Him in. Just wrapped in a simple cloth and laying in a feed trough.

Oh, what humility and all for us. We are that precious to Him that He would stoop that low off His throne to Save us.

Oh, but the Angels on High who serve Him could not help themselves.

The choir sung in full voice to all of creation, “Glory to God in the Highest and Peace to His people on Earth,” announcing the birth of Jesus, the Messiah.

Now I just sit in Awe and Wonder. Oh, Wow Lord. You were born for Me. You came to this earth to show us your Love, to show us how to live, to give us the eternal life that up till now was lost to everyone.

May my heart too join in with the Angels, “Glory to God in the Highest”

What more can I say, but “thank you.”

How can I show you gratitude for what you have done for me?