Quiet Arrival


Luke 2:1-20
1In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

It is interesting to read this text while not surrounded by twinkle lights, red and green decorations, and the hype of modern commercialism / consumerism. The description is quiet and unassuming. A woman has a Baby. Now I’m fairly certain it wasn’t a quiet event for Mary; it was one she would remember for her entire life.

A conversation unique (I think) to women is one about birthing. I’ve witnessed several such conversations in my life. We all have a tale to tell when it comes to the birth of our children. And I would have loved to hear Mary’s extended recitation of her first birth experience. She didn’t even get to give birth at home surrounded by her own family. I can only assume that the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem was a part of her story.

Despite the hype that has become Christmas, we don’t know all that much about the birth of the Savior. We know that He was born during a census in crowded Bethlehem, not in His own hometown, to a young virgin and her new husband. We know a little about Joseph and Mary’s heritage (Mary’s from the Gospel of Matthew) and that’s about it. While the angels did proclaim His birth, it was only to a few shepherds (which we will take up tomorrow) so all in all, there wasn’t much unique about the birth of King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Think about the media frenzy that accompanied the births of Prince George and Princess Charlotte in England over the last few years. It was crazy. These kids did nothing except be born into a royal family and the world went wild. Jesus, the creator of the universe is born and the simplicity and gentleness of the story is overwhelming by comparison. God doesn’t need fanfare and shouting to accomplish His will or execute His plan.

I think that we need to keep that simplicity in mind as we trek through our days as well. God accomplishes a million things every day with quiet strength and power. Most of what He does goes unnoticed by a world that would rather not even think about Him. And yet He moves and operates without our knowledge or permission. And while what He does may go unnoticed, it doesn’t have to. So many times each day I realize I’ve just seen God at work and my heart is overjoyed. Tomorrow we’ll read “Mary treasured up all these thing and pondered them in her heart.” Despite God’s sense of quiet workings, we too can ponder His ways and hold them in our hearts because that is where faith is built.

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