"Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house of the family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth."
-Luke 2:1-6
Lets start slow and get the details right. Mary and Joseph had to return to their home town, engaged, with Mary ready to give birth at any moment. They were Jewish, and in Jewish law if a man is engaged to marry a woman and she becomes pregnant and the child is not his by law he is to leave her. The bible tells us before the angel came to Joseph and told him this was the Son of God, he was going to leave her quietly because he was a righteous man. All of this is to show you the gravity of the cultural pressure on this renown couple. Why would God choose this circumstance to bring Jesus, to redeem the world?
What does this mean for our Worship?
The greatly revered couple, the earthly parents of Jesus were placed in a very uncomfortable situation, by God himself. Not to mention that there was also no place for them to stay, for a woman to give birth (no room for God in this world). Sounds like they were taken as outcasts to me. Perhaps the innkeeper saw them and said, "we don't have room for "you"."
Is God trying to tell us something? I believe so. I think he is saying, "I want your worship through comfort and discomfort." How hard is it to worship God in the moment you feel awkward, or when someone is trying to bring you down. When someone is spreading negativity, and you feel your joy being drained by them, or you just don't feel God's presence.
These moments are the hard to worship God in. God is unchanging, and longs for our worship at all times, it is the least we have to offer for someone who loves us so much he sent Jesus to save our immortal souls. This year when you celebrate Christmas, think about how comfortable or uncomfortable. Then in that moment worship God regardless. Regardless of how you feel, what you see, what you have gone through, where you are. After all look where Jesus was born. Enter Emmanuel "God with Us."
