Just the facts won’t cut it

Day 13

Scripture

Luke 2:1-5

In those days Caesar Augustus declared that everyone throughout the empire should be enrolled in the tax lists.  This first enrollment occurred when Quirinius governed Syria.  Everyone went to their own cities to be enrolled.  Since Joseph belonged David’s house and family line, he went up from the city of Nazareth in Galilee to David’s city, called Bethlehem, in Judea.  He went to be enrolled together with Mary, who was promised to him in marriage and who was pregnant.

Devotional

Luke was not the first gospel written to capture Jesus’ story; however, his version provides a unique perspective.  Luke was a man of science.  He was a physician.  He was also a Gentile.  But most importantly, he was the first historian of the early church.  Though not an eyewitness of Jesus ministry, Luke was concerned that the eyewitness accounts be preserved accurately so that the foundations of Christian belief were captured for future generations.

Luke reminds me of Joe Friday, from the show Dragnet.  His favorite line was, “Just the facts, ma’am.”  You don’t get a lot of emotion or description from Luke, just the facts.  

Luke wanted to tie his account to other historical documents and facts.  That is why he describes the census in great detail.  He also wants to point out that Joseph is part of the line of David, another important fact.

But the “facts” don’t provide the whole story.  In half a sentence Luke states that Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem.  What he doesn’t tell you is that it is 70 miles as the crow flies from one city to another.  If you walked a straight line, it might have taken four days.  But, I doubt they walked a straight line.

A straight line would have led them through Samaria, and the Samarians and the Jews were not on the greatest of terms.  Joseph would have wanted to protect his pregnant wife.  Most likely, they crossed the Jordan River and traveled south away from Samaria.  They would have then crossed the Jordan a second time to get back into Judea near Bethlehem.  The detour would have added many miles and several days to the journey.  The trip took at least a week and most likely ten days or more.

Sometimes we think to ourselves, “I’m being obedient to God, why aren’t things going better?”  We face discomfort or inconvenience and immediately think we have misread God’s will or that God has made a mistake.  Look closely at what Mary and Joseph went through.  God didn’t soften their bumpy road or make things easy.  It didn’t get much better when they arrived at Bethlehem either.

When we do God’s will, we are not guaranteed comfort or convenience.  But we are promised that everything, even discomfort and inconvenience, has meaning in God’s plan.  He will guide you and provide you with all that you need (not want).  Like Mary and Joseph, we must live each day by faith, trusting that God is in charge.

Prayer

Lord, I am so grateful that you are in control of my life.  You give me all that I need, and You want good things for me.  Help me to be patient and let your plan unfold.  Allow me to grow, even if it is painful.  I want to be your good and faithful servant all the days of my life. Amen.

Challenge

Think back to a time in your life when things did not go as well as you hoped they would.  In hindsight, can you now see why things did not go according to your plan?  Often, we can look back and see God’s hand at work, leading us to an even brighter future according to His plan.  If there is adversity in your life right now, I challenge you to put your faith in God and ask Him what your next step should be.

By Keven Linker