Follow the Journey

CHRISTMAS JOURNEY · STORY 3 OF 10

Scripture

Luke 2:1–7 (NLT)

[PASTE LUKE 2:1–7 NLT HERE]

What Does “Follow the Journey” Mean?

Mary and Joseph had already chosen to trust God, but trusting Him didn’t mean their journey would be easy.

While Mary was expecting Jesus, the Roman emperor ordered everyone to return to their ancestral towns to be registered. Joseph was a descendant of King David, so he and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem.

This wasn’t a simple trip. Mary was nearing the time when Jesus would be born, yet she and Joseph still had a long journey ahead of them. They couldn’t see everything that was waiting for them in Bethlehem, but they kept moving forward.

When they finally arrived, the time came for Jesus to be born. There wasn’t a comfortable room waiting for them. Jesus—the Savior God had promised—entered the world in the humblest of circumstances.

Mary and Joseph’s journey reminds us that following God’s plan doesn’t always mean taking the easiest road. Sometimes the journey is tiring, uncomfortable, or completely different from what we imagined.

But God was with them through every mile.

We may not always know where our own journey will lead either. We can trust that God is with us while we take the next step, and then the next one after that.

Talk About It

Why did Mary and Joseph have to travel to Bethlehem?
Do you think the journey was easy for them?
What happened after they arrived in Bethlehem?
Did Jesus arrive in the comfortable place we might expect for a king?
How do you think Mary and Joseph felt during their journey?
What can help us keep going when something is difficult?

Take It With You

Follow the Journey reminds us that we don’t have to see the whole road before we start walking with God.

Some parts of life are exciting. Others can be difficult, tiring, or unexpected. We may even wonder why the journey has to be so hard.

Mary and Joseph kept moving forward, and God was with them along the way. He is with us on our journeys too.

When you don’t know exactly what’s ahead, you can trust God with the next step.

For little ones, the whole story can be remembered in one simple sentence:

“God is with me wherever I go.”

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