Luke 2:4-5 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

Certainly Joseph would not have chosen to travel either with or without his pregnant wife just as she was ready to deliver, but he had no choice. Rome was far too powerful for anyone to resist. Most Jews hated taking part in a census because they viewed it as sacrilegious. God alone was to number His people. Joseph went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to the city of David called Bethlehem, a journey of about 70 miles. In the Old Testament, the “city of David” generally referred to Jerusalem, but Bethlehem was where David grew up.

Remember God controls all history. By the decree of Emperor Augustus, Jesus was born in the town predicted for His birth (Micah 5:2), even though His parents did not live there.

Luke does not explain why Mary made this trip. Obviously Joseph did not want to leave Mary alone. She undoubtedly had by now faced painful gossip because of her pregnancy and she preferred to stay with Joseph. It is possible they both saw God working and traveled to Bethlehem where the promised child was to be born as prophesied in Micah 5:2.

At this point, Joseph and Mary were engaged. The two were living together, but they abstained from sexual relations. Matthew 1:24-25 explains an angel spoke to Joseph in a dream about Mary’s condition: “When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.”

Out of your comfort zone

The government forced Joseph to make a long trip just to pay his taxes.

His fiancé, who went with him, was going to have a baby any moment.

Doing God’s will often takes people out of their comfort zones.

Those who do God’s will are never guaranteed comfortable lives.

But they are promised everything, even their discomfort, has meaning in God’s plan.