Messiah. The coming King. Generations of faithful Jewish families watched and waited for the sign that God would fulfill his promise to them. They must have imagined so many scenarios, so many different possibilities. Enter Mary: a quiet, young girl from a small town, engaged to a simple carpenter who was probably a faithful, devoted, religious man. Then, without warning, their world is turned upside down. What is seen as a scandal to the outside world is the answer to a promise, a responsibility, a calling, a blessing bestowed on a young couple just starting out. Not the easiest start to marriage!
Here is Mary, visited by an angel and pregnant. She alone can vouch for the truth of her story. Who is going to believe this? Joseph, kind and good, probably dumbfounded and confused, plans to break the engagement. Marriage and family life is hard enough; imagine adding scandal to the mix. Thankfully, the angel returned and spoke with Joseph, alleviating his doubts and also giving him instructions. “…she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Joseph holds true to the promise he made to Mary at their betrothal.
To say that they had a rough time is an understatement:
- Traveling during late pregnancy.
- Giving birth in unfamiliar surroundings without the support of the women in her life.
- Having to flee in the middle of the night to survive the attack orchestrated by Herod.
- Moving to a strange land to keep Jesus safe as he grew.
This is not how I would have liked my early years of marriage and motherhood to play out! Yet everything we read tells us that Mary was persistent and faithful to protect her son. Joseph listened to the promptings of the Spirit as he led his small family through to safety until they could return to Nazareth.
To be faithful as an individual is one thing; to be faithful together as a family is something else. When you have multiple people to love and protect, multiple people trying to hear from the Lord, it can be difficult to pull in the same direction at times. I’m sure Mary and Joseph had moments of frustration and disagreement with each other. The amount of trust they placed in the other is something to be admired, a goal for myself in relating to my husband and children. When that trust is broken or lost, it can be very painful. God didn’t intend for families to go through fracturing and disunity. How amazing, then, that God would step in and be the missing piece we need to bind our families back together.
As we continue through this Christmas and holiday season, this time of remembering and eulogizing, let us celebrate together with our family. Whatever family looks like to you: a spouse, child, parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or small group, draw near to them. The state of our world is causing fractures in families and households. There is too much talking and not enough listening. Mary and Joseph modeled sacrifice, faithfulness, and trust in their small family. We are called to do the same in ours. Let us usher in God’s kingdom of love in our homes by learning to love our families. Commit to walking together as best as you can, to being a faithful family who journeys forward in anticipation of our coming-again King! May your Christmas season be full of laughter and joy, love and hope. May it be full of family!
Tags: christmas, jesus, trust, family, sacrifice, mary, listening, obedience, disagreement, celebrating, holiday, joseph, protect
