Joseph and Mary and two year old Jesus fled in the night. No parade. No farewell. Just the quiet rustle of bags and the hurried steps of a family obeying God. Matthew 2:13 tells us that after the visit of the magi, an angel warned Joseph in a dream: “Get up… take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt.” Herod, in his fury, was hunting for Jesus to kill Him.
So Mary and Joseph did what parents do, they protected their child. The road to Egypt was long—some 75 to 100 miles through rugged terrain. Not a journey of comfort, but a journey of obedience. We don’t know exactly how long they stayed in Egypt, but likely until Herod’s death, around two to three years. Long enough for Jesus’ early years to unfold in a foreign land.
There is a lesson in this. Here it is: Obedience sometimes means going places we never planned. Following God may lead through uncertainty, detours, even danger. But His path is always purposeful.
God was not just protecting a baby, He was protecting the Savior of the world. In this story, Mary and Joseph remind us that sometimes the holiest act is simply to get up, pack up, and trust.
Even if you don’t know the map, follow the Guide.
I’m Lonnie Davis, and these are thoughts worth thinking.