The Long and Winding Road

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ne of the last songs recorded by the band, The Beatles, was entitled The Long and Winding Road.  While completely removed from the Christmas story, the image of a long and difficult journey is most appropriate for today’s devotional.

In Luke 2:4 we read, “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.” This verse has been read hundreds of thousands of times over the centuries and yet we can find within it fresh insight and encouragement for our journey today.

The road from Nazareth to Bethlehem represented an 80 mile journey.  On a good day, a man leading a donkey could cover approximately 20 miles before retiring for the evening.  This would mean that the journey could be done in 4 days.  Let’s put this into perspective, shall we?  Yesterday I put 60 miles on my car in the space of just 2 hours.  So, 80 miles for us could be just a normal day’s journey.  I can fly 1000 miles in a little over 2 hours and I can be half way around the globe in less than a day.  So, 80 miles doesn’t really affect us, or does it?

Let’s see if we can understand Mary and Joseph’s circumstances.  Mary is 9 months pregnant and almost ready to give birth. Even today, physicians discourage women who are close to term from travelling great distances.  Mary must ride on the back of an animal over roads that are not paved.  I imagine that the donkey didn’t have great shock absorbers and that she felt every dip and bump in the road.  Moreover, there were no hotel chains along the way to offer them comfortable lodging for the evening.  They may have had to sleep on the ground and for a woman at full term, sleep in a good bed is still a challenge.

But the passage says that Joseph went up to Bethlehem.  Despite the circumstances, despite the throngs, despite lack of comfort, Joseph went to Bethlehem.  And during the long journey which could have taken more than a week, God cared for them, provided for them, and kept watch over them because he had a purpose for their lives.

We have this same assurance.   God watches over us and cares for us.  His purpose, while unknown to us, can be trusted and he will ensure we arrive at our destination intact, on time, and ready to be used for his purpose.  In Isaiah, 55:8 the prophet reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways and his thoughts are not our thoughts.  Mary and Joseph do not know what awaits them at the end of the road, but God is already there.  The same is true for us today.  Who knows where your road will lead?