Mary and Joseph were to journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem because they were to return to Joseph’s homeland to pay taxes.  I have a Nativity in which every figure has something carved into them  which is the essence of their being I suppose.  For Joseph it is JOURNEY.  You can see his figure above.  Journey is more than a trip.  It is  movement from place to place during which we are transformed.  At the end of a journey we are a different person than when we began.  Transformation happens  inside us and we are different when we arrive from when we started. This is something God does by the power of the Holy Spirit.  We cannot do it by ourselves….we just go along for the ride.

Above you see a pencil drawing I did during a class I took in Sedona, Arizona.  We were on location, and the hills surrounding Sedona seemed to me somewhat similar to the hills of Judea where Mary and Joseph traveled.  I was taught in this drawing class that every detail was important.  If you look closely, you will see the detail present in this drawing.  But I can tell you that there were moments that I just wanted to rip up the page and forget the whole thing!  I get frustrated and am not good with details.  But I know now, after journeying in my life, that details can be important.  Details are what can make a difference at any moment.  Having finished this drawing, I now treasure every detail!  They are what make this drawing important, good, special, complete.  I am grateful to my teacher now for making me stick to it, and making sure every detail was recorded as correctly as possible. It is not normally my best style, but in a journey it is important!

Again I share an illustration by Julie Vivas from the book “The Nativity”. Joseph is trying to get Mary on board the donkey for the journey.  She is very pregnant with child and this is not an easy venture!  Balance is huge!  However, on a journey from one place to another, a new birth will occur.  Journey is not easy.  You cannot stop it, nor can you be totally in control.  You can only go through it and expect to receive the gift of something new.  But the Journey is worth it!  It is not about the destination.  It is all about the journey!!

Questions to think about….

When have you experienced a journey?

How were you changed?

Do you expect to be changed in some way during this Advent Journey?

nk