Friday, December 2, 2016
When I was very young I remember driving from the Twin Cities suburbs to Red Wing, MN to visit my grandparents for Christmas. We would pack our luggage and prepare the car the relatively short trip. And yes, we would sing from time to time "Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go."
ADVENT ADVENTURES: TO GRANDFATHER'S HOUSE WE GO
I highly doubt there was much singing on the trip recorded in the Gospel of Luke, "In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register. 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 2:1-5).
Joseph and a very pregnant Mary traveled what took probably four or five days by foot to Joseph's forefather's town of Bethlehem some 65 miles south of Nazareth. They weren't going to see family (at least they didn't seem to have any that would take them in). They were going because Rome issued a law that said they had to go. One might call it an Advent Adventure, but it was an extremely dangerous trip for the young couple and the expected Child now due to be born any day.
Yet we can imagine a song that went with them in their hearts along the way. Mary prayed a month or so before this trip with her cousin Elizabeth, "My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed. For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. And His mercy is on those who fear Him From generation to generation" (Luke 1:46-50).
As we may prepare to travel to the homes of family and friends this Advent and Christmas, let's think about Jesus' family traveling before His birth. Let's sing in our hearts of the joy we have in Him our Savior, for He has called us blessed who "hear the Word of God and keep it" (Luke 11:28). We treasure that Word in our hearts knowing what great and mighty things Jesus has done for us through His death on the cross for our sins. And He has risen to prepare to take us to our Heavenly Father's house to be with Him, forever, in heaven!
