Tag: Mary and Joseph

Advent…the Unexpected Places God Takes Us

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As we enter the last days before Christmas, our focus shifts to the actual birth and arrival of the Christ child. Today’s scripture tells of the birth of our Lord. Luke 2:6-7
“And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.”

In the stable cave believed to be the birthplace of our Lord, we sang Silent Night.

These 2 verses pack a powerful punch. After the long journey by walking or on the back of a donkey, they arrived in Bethlehem to find the city packed and all the inns filled. The census had drawn many others to Bethlehem as well, which was a small town outside of Jerusalem. As they looked for lodging, they found that all the inns were filled, but the landlord of one inn offered them shelter in the stable attached to the inn. They would be with the animals but in a warm and dry place. The irony of the King of kings and Lord of lords, the one who owns all the cattle on the hills being virtually homeless and humble enough to be brought into this world in such a lowly way leaves me in awe. In addition, scripture reminds us again that the baby being born is Mary’s son, miraculously conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit. This was no ordinary child and yet he was born as every other human child is born to a mother. She cared for the child and wrapped him to keep him warm and laid him down in a manger cradle. I’m sure she was exhausted but happy to be safely delivered just as any young mother would have been. Perhaps she had been scared as she only had Joseph to help her deliver the child, worried about his first cries and seeking to be comforted by by his sleeping pose in the manger. Joseph was undoubtedly worried about the delivery and the health of both her child and his young wife. These are possible thoughts that might have been in the minds of both Mary and Joseph that first Christmas Eve. But God, was with them and they both trusted in God’s plan and were walking in faith. Their faith was sufficient to overcome whatever obstacles were in front of them that day. Their faith and obedience to God is evident as no words of panic or despair are present in scripture, just calm hope.

Let us take a lesson from this scene. No matter how bad things look- no room, no place, no how, God is in control and has a plan. Nothing is greater than God and with God ‘nothing is impossible.’ This is hope that required faith on our part as God has got this. We need to walk in trust knowing He has us in the palm of His hand. Isaiah 49:16 is a promise to each of us “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.”

May the blessed hope shown by Mary and Joseph seep into your soul today as you consider this unusual birth in a very unexpected place. I love the promise in Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good,  a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,” Claim God’s promise and know in your heart and mind the truth of His loving care just as Mary and Joseph did that first Christmas Eve.

Linda

Advent…a journey of Faith

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At this point in our Advent story, John has been born to Zechariah and Elizabeth who was to be the forerunner of Jesus, the Messiah. The angel has appeared to both Joseph and Mary with his heavenly news, and they are now married and awaiting the birth of Mary’s Son by the Holy Spirit. Enter, the real world of politics and domination by both Jewish and Roman leaders upon their lives. Luke 2:1-5 gives the circumstances in which Mary and Joseph are caught, by no fault of their own. See how God uses worldly demands and decrees to further His purpose and fulfill His promises!

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

What an amazing God we serve! He used the Roman authorities to move Mary and Joseph from Nazareth where they lived to Bethlehem where prophesies foretold God’s Son would be born. Micah 5:2 written hundreds of years before spoke of the coming King who would be born in Bethlehem. “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, are only a small village among all the people of Judah. Yet a ruler of Israel, whose origins are in the distant past, will come from you on my behalf.” Joseph would not have knowingly put Mary in harms way by undertaking the journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem when she was heavily pregnant. They were required to go by the law and could not refuse. But this seemingly hard and unusual task was one of God’s design so that His Son would be born in Bethlehem just as He promised. God went with them and protected them so that no harm would come to them.

This is a lesson for each of us. God is with us in the hard times. When things seem impossible, we need to lean into Him and depend upon His strength. I’m sure that the journey on foot and by donkey was arduous for both Mary and Joseph. But God, provided for their safety and carried them to where they needed to be at just the right time. God is good and God is sovereign overall things that happen in our lives. As I said yesterday about Joseph’s walk of obedient faith, God’s got this.

We too need to walk in trust knowing God is good and has good things planned for our future and His glory. Let the faith walk of Mary and Joseph speak to your heart today and give you courage to keep on keeping on no matter how things appear. God’s providential care is greater than anything man has planned or tries to throw at us. Having fortitude, determination and will for the journey of life requires us to put our trust in Him and step out each day in Faith. Be of good cheer- you can do this with Him! Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Linda

Advent…Joseph’s Example=faith & obedience

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Today we shift from Mary and her relatives to Joseph’s encounter with God and his journey of faith and obedience. Matthew 1:18-25

18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly. This portion of the Advent story tells us a lot about Joseph’s character and their customs. Being betrothed in those times was more binding than an engagement today and they were considered husband and wife even though they did not live together or have relations. To end a betrothal it was necessary to sign divorce papers. Joseph knew because he was righteous, meaning he followed the laws of Moses and abided by them in his daily life, that announcing publicly that Mary was with child would lead to her public judgement and stoning. He cared for Mary and decided to do this quietly to save her life.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
    She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Joseph was given directions from God through a dream. This was not an unusual way for God to speak with someone as he appeared to Jacob, Joseph, Gideon and others in Old Testament times and Joseph would have known these stories. The angel specifically said he was to take Mary as his wife as her son was of the Holy Spirit. She had not been unfaithful but was being used by God for a greater purpose. He would have known of the promised Messiah and that his coming was to be by supernatural means through the line of David. Isaiah who lived hundreds of years before Joseph had prophesied in Isaiah 7:14 of this coming event. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. As the angel spoke these words to Joseph, he knew the truth of Mary’s circumstances and stepped out in faith to do as God commanded. He was immediately obedient.

Joseph’s character was one of shining faith and obedience. He did not question, argue or doubt God and His request. He did not doubt God’s ability to cause Mary to be pregnant though His Holy Spirt. He did not seek help with family problems over marrying an already pregnant fiancée. He stepped out in total faith doing just as God commanded him to do. I thank God for this glimpse into Joseph’s character as it gives a picture of the faith and obedience God desires of me also.

What about you? Will you step out in obedient faith and follow God’s direction this Advent season? Look for those God given opportunities to show your faith in Jesus.

Linda

Aftermath- a Homeward Journey

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The old saying, “It is so good to go but oh so nice to come home”, could be said of Joseph, Mary and Jesus in this last episode of the Christmas Story. God again directed their pathway and protected them from harm. He led them to the place Jesus would call home until His public ministry began some 30 years later. Matthew 2:19-23 “But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.” 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.”

As this portion of Jesus’ life concludes we see the hand of Sovereign God protecting the child and his parents yet again from the evil leader who might seek to harm the child. Archelaus was evil and tyrannical like his father Herod. He only remained in power for 10 years but was know as unusually cruel and tyrannical before being deposed. His reign was short and Judea a became a province of Rome thereafter and was ruled by those appointed by the emperor. Again, God spoke and Joseph listened and obeyed his dreams. Going back to Nazareth was probably comfortable as that was where they had lived prior to having to go to Bethlehem for the census several years before. Even though people would have known their history, they were returning as a married couple with a small child. Scripture does not indicate there was any animosity towards them or held beliefs or prejudices. Nazareth was a quiet backwater type of town where obscurity could be achieved and the child protected. Again, this protected location is seen in the prophesies that Jesus would be called a Nazarene. These exact words are not found in the Old Testament but their meaning of one who is despised and rejected is referred to in Psalm 22:6 and Isaiah 53:3. Being referred to as a Nazarene in Jesus’ day was synonymous with one who is despised. Surely, nothing good could come from Nazareth was the assumed idea. No one would look for the ‘king of the Jews’ in such a place and no one did!

What can we take away from this story today? We see that God’s will and plan for the redemption of mankind through His Son could not be thwarted by men. God had a plan for our salvation and nothing could disrupt it. Job 42:2 reminds us of this ““I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” We also see God’s hand of protection in Mary and Joseph’s story and His guidance to Bethlehem, Egypt and back to quiet Nazareth. So many things could have befallen them on their journey, but God protected and guided them home. He can and does this for us in our lives, too. We may not see it, but as God grows our faith and opens our eyes to His goodness as we come to trust more fully in His plans and ways. It is a life long process of growing in the Lord that matures our faith. I’m confident that this ‘journey’ was one of growth and trust in the Lord for both Mary and Joseph.

As we leave this last installment of the Christmas Story, let us remember with confidence that God’s plan is sure Job 42:2, His ways are not our ways Isaiah 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord,” His ways are always right Psalm 71:19 “Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you? and He does things for our good and His glory Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Praise God for His blessings and what He teaches us through His Word. The Advent Season is one to be cherished and loved. We can cling to the Hope, Love and Redemption we see throughout the year. Jesus is the reason for Advent Season! “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”. John 3:16

Linda

Aftermath, Herod- Evil Incarnate

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This portion of the Christmas Story is not very pleasant. It shows how evil, greed, power and the thirst for absolute power can consume a person. It shows how selfish desires can cause irreparable damage to those around us. Matthew 2:16-18 tells of Herod’s reaction and subsequent actions when he heard that the Magi had not returned to tell him about the child born ‘king of the Jews’.

Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, based on the wise men’s report of the star’s first appearance. 17 Herod’s brutal action fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet Jeremiah: 18 “A cry was heard in Ramah—weeping and great mourning. Rachel weeps for her children,    refusing to be comforted,    for they are dead.”

Herod was an evil, self-centered, tyrannical dictator who wanted no one else to come between him and his reign. He saw the child who would be king as a personal threat to his power and throne. God protected Jesus and his family by sending them to Egypt to escape the reaches of Herod and the Magi He sent home by another route after appearing to them in a dream. There was no escaping the evil Herod showed by killing all the male babies under 2 in Bethlehem. The anguish and sadness brought upon the people of Bethlehem at his hand is unspeakable. You might ask the age old question, why God? Why did God allow this to happen? My only answer is that we as believers live in a sin-filled world. We have to cling to the goodness of God and that His purposes are just and bring goodness to us and glory to Him. Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good,  a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him”. Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

This action towards the innocents of Bethlehem shows the omniscient power of God to know the future as the prophecy in verse 18 from Jeremiah was given hundreds of years before. God knows the heart of mankind and the evil that our sin natures can cause. We have seen evil in the world century after century and the destruction it brings. We only need to remember the times of Noah, Judges and David in the Old Testament and those who plotted to kill Jesus, Paul, Stephen and Peter. It is by God’s grace that we are saved through faith and can rise above the desires and pressures of this sin-filled world. We can know God’s love, forgiveness and comfort even as the world struggles with sin that effects all the world around us. We can thank God for His eternal protection and salvation. We can know that in Him all is right. Take heart in these verses from Romans 8:37-39 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Linda