Joy To Your World - Children's Advent DevotionalSample

Caesar Augustus was the Roman emperor during the time of Jesus’ birth. He is one of the most successful of all the Roman leaders. He reigned for forty-five years and is credited with building great cities and roads and bringing peace to the land. But that peace was due to the fact most people greatly feared him. Caesar Augustus decided that every person in the kingdom should be counted, probably because he wanted to make sure everyone was paying taxes to his government. The governors ordered everyone to return to their hometowns for the census.

It didn’t matter that Mary was about to have a baby. She was Joseph’s wife now. She needed to accompany him to Bethlehem. It was about eighty miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Most of it was uphill. Mary might have ridden a donkey for part of the journey, but she probably walked most of the time. She would have needed to rest often, so the trip probably took about two weeks.

Mary and Joseph would have packed most of their belongings. It is quite possible a donkey was carrying that load. Mary and Joseph knew they would have a little baby soon. It wouldn’t be easy to travel. They had to plan for a longer stay in Bethlehem. That’s why Mary probably walked those eighty miles. That’s also why there were no more rooms at the inn. Mary and Joseph were among the last people to arrive in Bethlehem.

God had called Mary to be the mother of His Son, Jesus. She had been blessed by God, but that didn’t mean her life was going to be easy. She must have grown very tired as she walked to Bethlehem. She likely would have been fearful to face the pain of childbirth so far from home. It might have been hard for Mary to feel like she had been blessed when she had such a long and difficult journey.

Sometimes God’s blessings do not make our lives easier, but we are still blessed. Often our joy comes from learning that God provides the help and strength we need for the “uphill” times of life. The journey was difficult, but Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem. The inn was full, but the innkeeper found them a safe place to stay. The eighty-mile journey was not easy, but God gave them strength for the trip. And soon Mary would hold her greatest blessing, the baby Jesus, in her arms.

Perspective is the ability to see things in different ways. Maybe you have a difficulty in your life today. If you could tell Mary your problem today, she would understand. And she would probably tell you to pray about it and ask God for the strength you need. God’s joy is found in trusting His strength to help you with the “uphill moments” in your life. Mary would assure you that God is able to help.