Mary's Sweet Heart and Joseph's Brave Obedience.

The Christmas season is now in full force. It's almost coming to an end. It's always interesting how quickly the Christmas cheer evaporates until New Years comes along. We are a people who long for good feelings. We enjoy the seasons of life that are able to create these feelings and we enjoy the experiences of life that put us in those places. I don't think there's much wrong with that really. Just as long as we aren't searching for true joy in those happy times. There's nothing wrong with wanting to feel good. How can you not when the music is uptempo and humorous and at the anticipated event, everyone gets gifts. What's not to like really?

I have found myself investigating the Christmas story this season. The first person who really stands out to me is Mary. Here you have this young virgin, innocent and pure, who is suprised to discover she is going to be pregnant; without having sex with anyone. Maybe its just me, but that is freaky, man. It's like saying to a chef, "You are going to have this amazing meal. Yet you are not going to cook anything. It will basically just appear and develop before your eyes". And this girl was young, probably 14 or so. Even as a male I can imagine the terror an anxiety news like that would bring. She may have thought she was crazy. She had probably seen the outcasts in town claiming they heard voices from God and heard guidance from "spirits". Even though the angel claims God has found favor with her, she was still most likely a wreck from hearing this news. 

But how does she respond? "I am the Lord's servant. May it be to me as you have said". A beautiful example of a willing servant. God asked her to take part in something extremely strange, but altogether amazing. Later in Mary's Song she states, "for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant". Back to my thoughts on feelings. Mary did not decide to follow God's call because it felt right. It probably did not at all. Yet she trusted in the guidance of the Lord. God even used Elizabeth to affirm this in Mary's life. Sometimes following the Lord takes a leap of faith. When things just aren't coming together or making any sense, He is still there and his plans still succeed. (Luke 1:26-38)

And Joseph abandoned his feelings for the situation to follow the Lord as well. I can't even imagine the heartache of having my fiance coming me and saying, "I'm pregnant". I would be devastated and betrayed. The heartache would tear me to pieces. Joseph had already made up his mind to divorce her quietly, for the text says he was a "righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace". So even in his hurt, he was still able to look at her with just intentions. Can you imagine his own anxiety when the angel comes to him in a dream telling him of the Lord's plans for this child. Verse 24 amazes me, "When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him..." Notice the lack of hesitation there. He didn't say, "God I've got to process this for a while. Let me sit on it. It doesn't feel right yet". On the contrary He obeyed the command he had been told without questioning whether it felt right or how others would view his decision. His desire was the please the Lord. And that's exactly what he did. He played his important part of the most influential birth the world has even known or will ever know. 

What a couple these two must have made. A woman, casting off her own fears to be exactly what the Lord desired her to be. A man, humble enough to follow the Lord when the call doesn't make much sense. However these were simply two ordinary people who were big enough to let the Lord rule in their lives and decisions. Beautiful.