Luke 2:1-7 (NIV)

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. 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. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Reflection Questions

  1. What does the humble birth of Jesus teach you about God's heart for the world?
  2. How might you humble yourself in this season for someone else?
  3. In what ways can you make space for humility and gratitude this Advent season?

Devotion

In the most unexpected of circumstances, the Savior of the world was born. Luke 2:1-7 tells us that Jesus’ birth came not in a palace or a comfortable home, but in a humble stable, wrapped in cloths, lying in a manger. The census issued by Caesar Augustus might have seemed like just another historical detail, but in God’s grand plan, it was the moment that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, where prophecy would be fulfilled, and the Messiah would be born in the town of David, just as it had been foretold (Micah 5:2). While this moment was part of the larger story of God’s redemptive plan, it was also a very personal, quiet event that would go unnoticed by most of the world.

The conditions surrounding Jesus’ birth remind us that God often works in ways we don’t expect. The King of kings, who could have come in wealth and power, entered our world in humility. His parents, though chosen by God, were not wealthy or influential. They were simply faithful and obedient. Their journey was filled with hardship, yet it was through these humble beginnings that God began to bring salvation to the world. The birth of Jesus teaches us that God’s plans often unfold in unexpected ways, and He can use even the smallest and humblest moments to accomplish His will.

This Advent season, we are invited to reflect on the humility of Christ’s birth. In the rush of holiday preparations and celebrations, it’s easy to focus on the grand and flashy. But God invites us to see His presence in the quiet, simple moments of our lives. Can we find space in our hearts and homes for the Savior, who came in such humility? Can we, too, open ourselves to God's work in unexpected ways?