In May 2015, Kevin & I became parents for the first time to our daughter, Kora. If you know me, you know that I tend to be forgetful, but the Lord has been gracious and allowed me to cling to these memories and recall them easily. I often find myself thinking about Mary when I take these trips down memory lane. Empathizing with the pain of carrying a child physically, relating to the emotional rollercoaster a woman’s changing body brings, and connecting with the relentless thoughts of doubt and fear every mother faces.
When I asked Kevin about the feelings he had about becoming a father his specific fears weren’t the same as mine, but he had doubts and fears nonetheless. He just had questions about different things, like how he would provide for another human being not only financially and physically, but emotionally and, most importantly, being responsible for her spiritual growth as the head of our house.
So, this news the angels brought each of Jesus' parents likely produced these same kinds of doubts, anxiety, and fears.
For Mary, under Mosaic Law, she could have been put to death by the religious leaders for being pregnant and unmarried. The community could have expelled her from the synagogue and the town. And if that wasn’t enough, Joseph himself could have publicly shamed and divorced her, turning the entire town against her.
For Joseph, to shame Mary publicly, in accordance with the Law, would have justified him in the eyes of his friends and family. It would have protected his reputation and allowed him to get out of his relationship with Mary in the easiest way possible. To divorce her quietly was a more risky option. Yes, it was allowed by the law, but it would cause many to doubt his sincerity. His reputation would’ve taken a hit. Yes, it was the right thing to do, but it would have come with a cost (Matthew 1:19).
After the angel appeared in the dream, Joseph had an even more difficult decision (Matthew 1:20). Rather than choosing between shaming Mary and divorcing her quietly, he now had to choose between his way (a quiet divorce) and God’s way (marrying the pregnant girl).
One of my favorite things to do is make shirts (I won’t go into details now, so feel free to ask me about it if you’re curious). If you know my husband, Kevin, you know most things can become something laughable. This brings me back to the shirt I made myself for the Christmas season this year. One of our favorite Christmas songs begs the question, Mary Did You Know? To which my shirt responds, “Mary knew.” It's silly really, but it causes heads to tilt, followed by delayed understanding, and a giggle or an eye-roll. Yet, the more I think about the full lyrics to the song, the more I know at the core of my being that she didn’t have a clue what being the mother of the Messiah would mean. You could easily insert Joseph’s name into the song as well. Did they know that their baby boy…
“Would one day walk on water …
Will give sight to a blind man …
That sleeping Child you're holding is the great I AM?”
Did they have any clue that they would lose Him in Jerusalem when He was 12 years old (Luke 2:41-52)? Sidebar, this should be encouraging to all parents—if they lost the Messiah you are doing just fine! Did Mary know Jesus would ignore her and his brothers, possibly embarrassing them, to teach the crowd a lesson about how we really become a part of God’s family (Matthew 12:46-50)? Did they know that He would become the perfect sacrifice and die a gruesome death on a rugged cross to save us all (Matthew 27:32:56)?
I don’t believe they did. God, in His infinite grace and mercy, doesn’t reveal the whole plan upfront. If He did, the fear and doubts would likely paralyze us.
And here’s the part I love the most … Despite all the concerns and fears, the real danger that came with obedience, this young couple from Nazareth said yes.
“And Mary said, ‘Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.’”
Luke 1:38
“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.”
Matthew 1:24
They looked beyond all of their circumstances, what fear often makes us focus on, to their God. The God they knew to be faithful and just, merciful and loving. The God that promised to send the Messiah to save the world. And they humbly accepted their assignment to raise Him as their own.
As we have walked through the Christmas story this month from the perspective of the different characters, you have seen the shepherds become messengers of the Good News the angels brought to them on the night of Christ’s birth. You have seen how the angels rejoiced and worshiped at His entrance into our dark world for the purpose of saving us. You will see next week how the wise men were impacted by the arrival of the Messiah.
All of these amazing, miraculous things Mary & Joseph saw first-hand as they walked in obedience to God’s calling on their lives. God continued to remind them of His goodness and faithfulness from the beginning of this story to the very end.
There is a line that has stuck with me this Christmas season from what our Bibles teach us about Mary. As a mother, I can relate.
“But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19
This Christmas season, what do you treasure—the things of this world, or the greatest gift ever given, the birth of our Savior? Evaluate the state of your heart (Psalm 139:23-24). Take inventory of the things you invest your time and money into. Then, make adjustments as necessary. My prayer for you this Christmas is for you to embrace the spirit of Mary and Joseph, to choose God’s way even if it costs you something.
Choosing God’s way will cost you something, but choosing your own way always costs more.
And the benefits of saying yes to God are far more precious than anything this world could ever offer … hope, peace, joy, and love, just to name a few.
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Ephesians 3:14-21
Merry Christmas!