Echoes of CHRISTmas: a new light

Matthew 1:19

And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

The next character were gonna look at is Joseph, and as I sit here writing this tonight. I'm going through a trial and a struggle. I'm confused, conflicted, and a little mad. But then I read this. It's just a little verse but it has a lot of meaning. Imagine what Joseph must have felt like. This woman, whom he loved very much, suddenly came up to him and told him she was pregnant. Imagine the shock, the horror, and maybe even the anger that must've come over Joseph. Here was a woman he thought was pure and now she's pregnant. He must've felt as if his world was falling down, like everything he worked for was a waste. He must've thought he made the wrong decision, that maybe he hadn't followed God's plan. He must've been a little mad, I mean I would feel betrayed if something like this happened to me. But even through all this it says a lot about his character that he didn't want to shame Mary, to make her a public example. But still imagine what he was feeling. Betrayal, confusion, anger. All of those things must have crossed Joseph's mind. But then what happens next must shake his world even more. 

Matthew 1:20-21

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph, this poor carpenter from Galilee, was visited by an Angel. Something that hadn't happened in a very, very long time. This man who must've been struggling and flailing after he found out the woman that he loved, in his mind, had betrayed him for another man. And then right in the middle of this as he's questioning wether or not to even marry her, an angel steps on the scene. An angel sent from God to him to reassure him in this troubled time. An angel with a message that the Jews had been waiting for for a long, long time! Imagine what he must've felt now! All that betrayal would be replaced by wonder, all that confusion would be replaced with clarity, all the anger would be replaced by peace. But with those feelings imagine how inadequate he must've felt. I mean God has just sent a message to him that basically said "Joseph, you will be the earthly father to my son." How inadequate he must've felt? Here's a poor carpenter from Galilee, a man who lives in a town that no one regards, and he is picked from all the world to be the earthly father to the savior to the world. I can't even wrap my head around what he must've felt. He must've asked the question "why me?" He must've wondered why he was chosen. And you know what I don't think he ever got an answer. But he did the only thing he could do. He obeyed! 

Matthew 1:24-25

When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.

Another interesting thing about this is that Joseph was the one who named Jesus. I don't know why but I've always imagined Mary naming Jesus, but now Joseph was commanded to name the savior of the world. What an honor! How amazing is that! This simple man from Nazareth was honored with the command to name the savior of the world! Wow! Just wow! But then something happened that I'm not sure if they expected.

Luke 2:1

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 

Just when things were starting to make sense, this happens. I'm sure Mary and Joseph were living a good quiet life in Nazareth. But then they were commanded to travel about 90 miles, to a city they probably had never been too. Now Mary was probably very pregnant at this point and none of the accounts say wether or not she was able to ride on a donkey or on something so she didn't have to walk. So here they are this couple that God has chosen from all the people to bear and raise his son, and they are commanded by the Roman Empire to get up and go to a city that they most likely have never been too. You have to wonder, what were they thinking? Were they confused? Did they know what we know now? These are questions we probably won't get answers to hear on this earth. But back to our story. So here's this couple traveling with all the other people who need to travel, probably across some rough terrain, and they probably had some luggage that they needed to bring. And who knows if they had an animal or not. Imagine how tired Mary was? Imagine how anxious Joseph was, here's the woman he loves having to travel 90 miles to an unknown town, and she could have her baby any moment. My mom put this into perspective for me the other day, and it showed just how amazing and wise our God is. She said "the whole world was moved so two people would go to Bethlehem." Doesn't that put it into perspective? Everyone in the Roman Empire was commanded to get up and to love so that two of those millions of people could get to one place! Whoa! Is our God amazing or what? But why (if you haven't noticed by now this is one of my favorite words XD)? Why did Mary and Joseph have to go to Bethlehem? Well...

Micah 5:2

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah,

who are too little to be among the clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to be ruler in Israel,

whose coming forth is from of old,

from ancient days.

^^ That's why. God, through the prophet Micah, had spoken this prophecy about his son. And now over 700 years later, the prophecy is coming to pass. Next we will actually discuss Christ's birth, and I hope to help shine a new light on his coming as a humble child. 

Hear the echoes of our lord as he calls you to things you may not feel ready for, or may not understand, and know that he chose you to do what he has called you to do. And he will give you power to accomplish his task. 

Luke 2:7

And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.