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. (Luke 2:1-7)
"Livin' the Life" or "Livin' the Dream. That's how some people I encounter often reply almost every time I ask how they are. What they are implying is that they are going through the daily grind, working hard to make ends meet and pay taxes, and are stuck in a system of life that is unfulfilling. Joseph and Mary could identify. Bureacratic red tape, paying taxes, verging on homlessness, they were caught up in a story they could not escape. Maybe not. Both had received angelic visits to let them in on the Bigger Story. She had said "yes"; he had done "yes." In a world of victim mentality, we often forget decisions and agreements we have made that get us where we are. They really did not want to be in a barn in Bethlehem when she bore her firstborn Son, but they were along for the ride, and taking it all in. (I've been to Bethlehem, and wouldn't want to live there). But when we let God into our daily lives and allow Him to pull us back to see the bigger story, life is worth living, and the daily grind is not such a grind after all. He has a plan - a good plan, a great plan. Will we joyfully accept our part in it, or will we fatalistically trudge our way through?
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