Hi how are you all today? I am well. Did you know it is less than four weeks to Christmas. This year has gone really fast. But in this 2021 Christmas, let’s take a minute to slow down and really think about that first Christmas. Over the next few weeks, let’s take a journey and re-live this season. I will be telling the story how I saw it. It may not be exact but will help us picture that long ago first Christmas. So let’s begin.
Mary was a young girl and so very excited. Joseph had just asked her to marry him and had met with her father. He had offered up a good dowry and was now going to build Mary a home of their own. She had started to prepare for this a while ago but now she had to prepare quickly. She didn’t know at what time Joseph would return and say all was ready.
In the meantime Joseph was happy because Mary had said yes. He had been saving for those building materials for a while. He loved carpentry and couldn’t wait to start on the house. It would take him a few months to build.
But what happened next startled them both. Joseph had nearly finished building the house when a messenger from Mary arrived to give him troublesome news.
Mary was pregnant. What? How? Who? The best thing to do is end the betrothal thought Joseph. It would have hurt but Joseph wanted to break it off privately because the Bible says he was a just man and wanted to do right.
But who knows that God had a plan even for Joseph’s life. He was the perfect husband for Mary and the one God picked to be an earthly father to Jesus. So an angelic visitation was in order. An angel visited Joseph and told him not to be afraid. Take Mary as your wife for she has not been unfaithful but the child is from God. The child is a boy and His name will be Jesus.
I love Joseph’s complete trust in God. Although he may have had many questions, he obeyed. He finished the house and went to get Mary. They married and moved together into the house he built.
Next week, I will be telling the story of Jesus’ birth. As I tell it, put yourself in one of the characters shoes and imagine how they would have felt.
As we do this together, I believe that God will release to each one of us a new revelation of the joy and wonder of that first Christmas.
Todays story teaches about absolute trust in God when we don’t understand. This week continue to trust God in everything.
Have a great week and keep living the life God intended for you.
Bless you
Karen
Living the life God intended 