Then Jesus Came #10

Luke 2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

Whenever we get to this place in the account of Christ's birth, all I can think of is peace, rest, silence.  Of course, there was nothing peaceful in getting to this point.  The long hard journey through the hill country. The dirty roads, lack of accommodations, and discomfort of being great with child, followed by the pains of delivery were no picnic for Mary (nor for Joseph for that matter). But at the end of the day, when all that was past, the family was there together and the Child had been born.  The streets were quiet, and they weren't going anywhere for awhile, just like Christmas Eve. 

This truly does picture what we are looking for: peace at the end of the day, the end of the journey, the end of this life.  That peace is found in this one and same Child, the Son of God, Jesus Christ.