The phrase, “This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor,” stood out to me. There would be more. There were probably others when there had been a different governor.

God arranging circumstances perfectly doesn’t mean He’s playing chess. Though He certainly can put an idea into someone’s head and move someone as He wants, He works within the natural, not just the supernatural. A census was a natural thing they did. God had to work out the timing with the baby and with the census. However He did it, He did it perfectly.

Everyone had to register, not just pregnant women from Bethlehem. Their families would have had to register too. They would have been traveling with a huge group as we’ll see when Jesus is a little older. I do believe she had her mother with her, and certainly some woman would have known how to help with the birth; God could have arranged a midwife. He’s a good God. Mary already had to endure a lot. Her good Father was taking care of her at the birth of His precious Son.

The person not at the birth was Joseph. That was woman’s work. Men didn’t come into the delivery room until modern times. When I gave birth in Macedonia, I delivered in a storage room. The labor rooms had multiple women in the them, all with their mothers. I had my husband with me, so we needed a private room.

After Jesus is born, the angels break out into song. The birth is announced to a group of shepherds. Shepherds are certainly a theme in the Bible. They are there beginning to end and beyond the natural, God’s children are called a flock and their leaders shepherds.

We know Mary got an encouragement about her baby at the very beginning of her pregnancy, but we don’t know if she’s had more. He’s a good Father and perfectly arranges some encouragement the night of the birth. The Shepherds bring the good news and Mary treasures it.