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bigmike

DAILY DEVOTION
An Empire in Motion
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Luke 2:1-5
The care of God to ensure that all the promises that were given to Old Testament prophets were fulfilled to the letter is on full display in the story of the birth of Jesus. The location of the birth of the Messiah had been written down hundreds of years before. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).
But Mary and Joseph did not live in Bethlehem. In fact, they lived in Nazareth, a good ninety miles to the north. So God arranged to move the entire population of the Roman Empire during Mary's pregnancy so that Jesus would arrive in the city of David when the time was right, just as promised.
The trip probably would have taken a week or more, taking into account Mary being late in her pregnancy and given the custom of going around Samaria. There were thousands of people on the move, and one couple among so many probably did not attract a lot of attention. Yet they were put in motion as part of God's plan.
When news of the census came, it is likely that Mary and Joseph did not fully understand why they had to make such a difficult trip at what seemed like an inopportune moment. Many times we do not recognize that God is at work in what seem to be some of our hardest moments, but He is always working in our lives.
God never abandons or forsakes us, and He will do whatever is necessary to fulfill His promises to us.
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