Using The Government

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.  Luke 2:1-3

One thing we do note about Mary and Joseph is their obedience to God's messengers, which is to obey the word of God. Such persons also tend to obey the government, and God used the ponderous Roman one to get His Son's parents down to Bethlehem. It is quite likely that Mary would rather have delivered at home in Nazareth with its access to familiar and familial people and places. Mary also seems to have been far along in her first pregnancy, as she delivered quite soon after arriving in Bethlehem. Why travel so close to the due date? Again the Roman bureaucracy might well have taken its sweet time getting census takers, tax collectors, and the proclamation out to the public. But you can bet there was a due date for people to be in place and Roman authority to make sure it happened. As we know, large governments tend to work in similar ways to one another - We slow, you hurry. A government at times may appear to be more problem than solution, but God can use that too.

Mercy and joy to you in Christ Jesus,

Bucky