Christmas Presence

“Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child.” (Luke 2:1-5)

While shopping recently I saw someone who is pregnant right now. It made me think about what it must have been like when Mary and Joseph made their journey those 2000 years ago. That journey was a long journey, at least by our standards. When we read of it today in the Bible their trip is about a sentence long but that only helps us to minimize what that was actually like. In those days, you would make about 20 miles a day, and due to her pregnancy that would have been pushing it. Perhaps they only made 10 miles a day. Normally the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem would take about 4 days, if you only traveled by day, so their journey was more likely a week. So to envision that, while most of us spend the week before Christmas getting the house ready, packages wrapped and other details taken care of, Joseph and Mary were trudging along on their journey.

We all have journeys that are hard work, and sometimes it feels like we’re simply putting one foot in front of the other. It’s in those moments we need to clear our mind of the negative thoughts around what we know needs to be done, and press forward into the peace of God. Sometimes in this period right before Christmas as everyone is shopping and getting ready we tend to focus so much on what we need to get done that we don’t enjoy the season and remember what we are indeed celebrating.

Celebrating Jesus is a year long opportunity and shouldn’t be the focus of only one night and the next day.

Also, there are many around us for whom Christmas it NOT a merry or jolly time, or that don’t have family gatherings to attend. They may be on a journey we will never know or comprehend. In this season it can be all to easy to look for others to be joyous with, as those that don’t find this a happy time will tend to shrink into the background and certainly not call attention to themselves. The whole reason for Jesus coming to earth was to start the process of restoring creation. We are called to be a part of that process.

We shouldn’t be waiting until Christmas to bless others with presence – the presence of Christ in us through the Holy Spirit. Look for ways today to find those who need encouragement, uplifting words or other affirmations during this season. It can be so very easy in the crush of shopping to simply want to get through it and not acknowledge or interact with others.

Not everyone is having a Merry Christmas season, and we can help spread the Light of Christ everywhere we go.