Census: Life Continues

-Pastor Melissa Fain-

1 In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 All went to their own towns to be registered. 4 Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. 5 He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child.'

​Luke 2:1-5 NRSV

Did you know countries have been getting counts of their citizens for thousands of years? It is called a census. The United States does their census once every 10 years, and ours was this year! Did you know there was one in the middle of the Christmas story?!

When Christmas time comes, we want to push away everything not related to Christmas. Parents don’t want to deal with bills. Kids don’t want to work on homework. We don’t want “surprises” like unexpected loss. Let’s focus only on Christmas!

Only, not even the first Christmas was just Christmas. Christ was born during a census. The Roman government wanted to know where everyone called home, so they told everyone to go there.

This meant Joseph and a very pregnant Mary was forced to travel to Joseph’s birth city: Bethlehem. If not for the census, Mary could have given birth to Jesus in her home, surrounded by family.
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Normal life continues, but isn’t that a good thing? We forget that Christmas is added to life; not that life interrupts Christmas. Life continues, and God is joining in.

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Question: What normal things are you dealing with right now?
 
Prayer: Dear God, when life happens, thanks for being there with us. Amen.

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Places to connect:

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For deeper discussion: Reddit: www.Reddit.com/r/FigTreeChristian