Corona Devo 651

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world… (3) And everyone went to their own town to register.

(4) 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. (5) He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (6) While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, (7) and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.   ~Luke 2:1, 3-7

Such a simple and familiar story.

We have heard it all before...every year in fact, right around this time.

But these matter-of-fact verses are laid out in Luke in much the same way that the latest wet-layer of paper mache is laid onto a child's volcano or face-mask project. Simple and straightforward, but with precision and layer-upon-layer behind and underneath to support them.

Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken... ~Luke 2:1

Something needed to "get" Joseph and Mary to Bethlehem, and God used a government order/the political leader-of-the-day/a (seemingly) regular occurrence such as a census to accomplish this.

As we live and move and progress through our lives and the requirements of today, God is using simple and mundane things to accomplish His greater (and prepared long in advance) plans for us as well.

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. ~Luke 2:4

Joseph sure did belong to the house and line of David, and the layers of his family (and God-ordained history) were specific and purposed, just as everything that our Lord does is. For an abridged cheat sheet comprising of the layers of Jesus's lineage, see here:

This is a record of the ancestors of Jesus the Messiah, a descendant of David and of Abraham:  

(2) Abraham was the father of Isaac.

Isaac was the father of Jacob...

(5) …Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).

Obed was the father of Jesse.

(6) Jesse was the father of King David.

David was the father of Solomon...

(15) Matthan was the father of Jacob.

(16) Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.

Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah. ~Matthew 1:1-2, 5-6, 15-16

Are we beginning to picture the layer-upon-layer of history that God's story has been built upon over time and generations?

Did we know (before these verses) that Jesus was related to David? The prophet Jeremiah did, even though he lived about 600 years before Jesus was born. Jeremiah's words are another layer in the story of Jesus:

“For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant from King David’s line.  He will be a King who rules with wisdom.  He will do what is just and right throughout the land.  ~Jeremiah 23:5

The layers of God's story for us through the story of Jesus run deep. From everlasting, actually.

Mary and Joseph didn't "just happen" to wander into a stable in Bethlehem. The birth city of Jesus was foretold (in yet another previously laid layer) about 700 years earlier by the prophet Micah:

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from everlasting.”  ~Micah 5:2

Micah couldn't possibly have known/understood what he was foretelling about the birthplace of Jesus and the rule of Jesus. But he wasn't speaking (living!) for himself, he was speaking what God had put on his heart to say, and it was all true, because the narrative of Jesus had been written from everlasting. And so although it might have sounded foreign for Micah to "speak" of Bethlehem birthing a ruler, The Lord had already spoken the reality of this into motion from everlasting. The rest of the world would just have to wait 700 years to meet Him.

Even when we can't make sense of some things and the timing is unclear, we can trust what God "tells" us, or puts on our hearts.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, (7) and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.   ~Luke 2:6-7

Jesus, You came without a royal birth announcement (instead it had come 600 and 700 years earlier!). You came without royal robes, sanitary accommodations or even a midwife.

Your love and salvation for us was literally birthed out of humility, so why do we bury ourselves with so many "unnecessaries" during this Season?

Your story, Your being, Your love for us has been built, layer upon layer since the dawn of time, from everlasting.

May the layers cover us today.

Thank you for the reminder that Christmas is not about the wrappings, the grandeur of gifts, or the gourmet feast of food. The days surrounding your birth should not be crowded out by the busy-ness, festive-facade, or materialism.

The simplicity and multi-layered chronicle of Your lineage, Your birth, and all of history leading up to what that means for us today reminds us to strip away the unnecessaries and to become comfortable with all-that-is-necessary: You.

Re-center us on the simple and amazing remembrance and celebration of your birth and may it humble our approach and reception of You this Christmas.

It's not about the outer wrappings of Christmas. It never was. Shame on us for making it so.

It's about every layer, chapter and verse leading up to God sending His Son to be born to save us. His wrappings were humble but His purpose and love for us is royal.

Blessings, 

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com