Picture it. Nazareth. 9 months BC. You are just a teenager, living your life, engaged…and then suddenly out of nowhere an angel appears, and drops a bomb on you. Now you are a teenager, engaged, but to spice things up, now you are about to have a baby. Not just any ol’baby…THE baby—the one people had been waiting for, the baby that would grow up to die on the cross, to save us from our sins, to give us eternal life—THAT baby. No pressure.
I was 26 when I became a dad. I had no idea what I was doing, there are days at 33 that I still don’t know what I am doing—I am sorta winging it, and doing the best I can. Being a parent is the hardest and most rewarding “job” to have, it is a HUGE task. I wonder how Jesus was as a baby, or a toddler, or a little kid, or a teenager, or even in his 20s? My sons are still little, and I often think what would Jesus have been like…certainly he would have been well behaved, obeyed, never caused problems right? Maybe? We don’t know…but if Jesus was anything like my sons, then that sentence would likely be false. One thing is for certain, I would not have been even close to being ready to become a parent in my teenage years. I was young, immature, and often reckless. I ran my mouth and talked back to my parents. I was selfish and arrogant. Absolutely, positively, not ready to become a parent.
BUT God…. had different plans for Mary and Joseph. The angel Gabriel came in, dropped the bomb, and now they had the biggest task anyone could have been chosen for—they were about to give birth to God’s one and only Son. That’s a huge job! I would have lost my mind! That’s not what Mary or Joseph did though. Mary completely accepted the task with such beauty and humility, eventually so did Joseph. I am sure there was a lot of drama, speculation, and talk from people looking in on the situation. Watch The Nativity Story, I think that film does a great job of showing what it may have looked like for Mary and Joseph. The whispers and stares of others, who had no idea what truly was going on, would have been difficult. But Mary and Joseph were undeterred. They stayed the course—and brought forth the greatest gift for all.
Today, as you have likely unwrapped all the presents under the tree, or maybe you are about to…ponder in your heart, like Mary…. the beauty of this true story. The greatest gift came to us all. The circumstances may have been crazy, but certainly all worth it. I would highly encourage you, if you haven’t, take the time to talk and discuss this with your family before the day ends. To remember the reason for the season, to remember what all this means, to remember that no gift given today would ever be of more worth than Jesus Christ our Savior born this day.
Merry Christmas, my church family!
I was 26 when I became a dad. I had no idea what I was doing, there are days at 33 that I still don’t know what I am doing—I am sorta winging it, and doing the best I can. Being a parent is the hardest and most rewarding “job” to have, it is a HUGE task. I wonder how Jesus was as a baby, or a toddler, or a little kid, or a teenager, or even in his 20s? My sons are still little, and I often think what would Jesus have been like…certainly he would have been well behaved, obeyed, never caused problems right? Maybe? We don’t know…but if Jesus was anything like my sons, then that sentence would likely be false. One thing is for certain, I would not have been even close to being ready to become a parent in my teenage years. I was young, immature, and often reckless. I ran my mouth and talked back to my parents. I was selfish and arrogant. Absolutely, positively, not ready to become a parent.
BUT God…. had different plans for Mary and Joseph. The angel Gabriel came in, dropped the bomb, and now they had the biggest task anyone could have been chosen for—they were about to give birth to God’s one and only Son. That’s a huge job! I would have lost my mind! That’s not what Mary or Joseph did though. Mary completely accepted the task with such beauty and humility, eventually so did Joseph. I am sure there was a lot of drama, speculation, and talk from people looking in on the situation. Watch The Nativity Story, I think that film does a great job of showing what it may have looked like for Mary and Joseph. The whispers and stares of others, who had no idea what truly was going on, would have been difficult. But Mary and Joseph were undeterred. They stayed the course—and brought forth the greatest gift for all.
Today, as you have likely unwrapped all the presents under the tree, or maybe you are about to…ponder in your heart, like Mary…. the beauty of this true story. The greatest gift came to us all. The circumstances may have been crazy, but certainly all worth it. I would highly encourage you, if you haven’t, take the time to talk and discuss this with your family before the day ends. To remember the reason for the season, to remember what all this means, to remember that no gift given today would ever be of more worth than Jesus Christ our Savior born this day.
Merry Christmas, my church family!