December 23, 2021

“An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 1:20 (NIV)

WHAT A SHOCK!  WHAT A SURPRISE!  WHAT A DISAPPOINTMENT!

Joseph was engaged.  He was excited.  He was happy.  In one moment all of that changed.  Can you imagine that day when he met Mary.  His heart raced as he met the one he loved.  The one he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.  “Joseph, I’m pregnant.”  Words that he had hoped to hear some day.  But not here, not now! 

What should he do?  He loved her too much to shame her.  So he decided to quietly end the engagement and the wedding plans.  Perhaps she would somehow escape persecution.

Then came the midnight visit of the Angel in his dream!

WHAT A SHOCK! WHAT A SURPRISE!  WHAT A DILEMMA!

When the Holy Spirit chooses to invade our lives, he brings a mixture of emotions.  And the lives of Mary and Joseph were being infiltrated in a very special way indeed.  Mary with Child by the Holy Spirit!?!  Joseph  knew what he had to do.  He loved God and he loved Mary.  He would marry her.  He would accept the message of the Angel.  He would accept the almost inconceivable will of the Spirit.

The miracle is that today, because of Christmas, God’s Spirit wants to work in our lives!

WHAT A SHOCK!  WHAT A SURPRISE!  WHAT A DELIGHT!