Are You Prepared to Celebrate?

Luke 2:4-5

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 

“Be prepared, just not to be safe, but to be a faithful servant of God.”-Didi Bacon

Christmas takes preparation. With five children, four with spouses, and eleven grands, I have to begin preparing for the holidays early, because I prefer to take my time rather than stress.

For Christmas dinner, I keep it simple. Yet, the meal takes organization. Yesterday, I spent a chunk of the day cooking hamburger for sloppy joes and chopping peppers for pizza dip. When I finished, I tucked both into the freezer until December 24. As I stirred the burger and cooked the pink out, my mind wandered to Joseph and Mary. Weird, I know, but that’s how my brain works.

God had chosen Mary to be Jesus’ momma, and he picked Joseph as Jesus’ earthly father because Joseph was a man of integrity who loved God. Obviously, Joseph took care of Mary. When he heard Caesar Augustus called for them to travel to Bethlehem for the census, he loaded the donkey (at least that's what we learned in Sunday school,) and he and Mary joined the caravan on the journey. I’ve no doubt Joseph packed water and snacks, along with blankets and bags of clothes. He prepared for the long trip, but he didn’t stop there. His most important preparation wasn’t food or clothes, instead he took the time to prepare his heart.

Joseph had accepted his role in the coming of King Jesus. With willingness, Joseph humbled his heart and opened his mind to the changes coming to his family. He looked to God with a servant’s heart and accepted the part God asked him to take on. He chose to love the One who would change the world, even as he raised Jesus as his son.

Joseph’s willingness to accept his circumstances kind of blows my mind. His faith was extraordinary. His actions push me to prepare for Christmas, not in gift giving and cooking, but more importantly, to prepare my heart to worship the King.

Christmas is about Jesus. He’s the reason we celebrate. With humility, I ask God to open my eyes and heart in service to Him.

Prepare your heart to worship God and serve Him in this holy season.

Celebrate with Joy!

Something inside of me sparks when I near the Christmas season. 

I so wish every one could experience the holiday the way I do.

The joy that bubbles over comes from the beautiful baby born in a manger,

 so many years ago.

I love celebrating the One who came to earth to offer grace. 

His grace has saved my life.

Celebrate Jesus Joy!

 

Celebrate~Mary

Luke 2:6-7
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She [Mary] wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Bumping along on a lowly donkey, nine months pregnant, Mary prepared for the birth of her son, Jesus. She made the journey with her betrothed, Joseph, to the town of Bethlehem where they'd be counted and registered to pay taxes. Towards the end of a pregnancy, most women are mighty uncomfortable. I can't imagine riding a donkey on rough roads and bouncing around. But, Mary's faith trumped her discomfort.

Womanhood arrived early in Mary's day. History determines her to be anywhere from fourteen to seventeen, a child in our culture. Yet her love for God matured and grew in her few years. The angel, who delivered the news that she'd give birth to the Messiah, recognized this young woman's faith.

Mary, being the faithful servant, accepted the angel's proclamation with grace and trust.

Trust plays a huge part in Jesus' birth. Joseph trusted enough to wed Mary.  God trusted the angels to deliver his messages. The shepherds trusted the angels and ran to see the baby. And Mary trusted God with the glorious phenomenon of Jesus' birth.

As Mary bumped along, she must have wondered what came next. But she moved forward as God called her. She birthed the baby in a stable, most likely a cave where the animals were fed and watered. Hopefully, she had clean straw and fresh water. Regardless, Mary welcomed her child with joy that night.  

As you think about the troubles of 2020, the inconveniences, the losses, the illness, think about Mary. In her discomfort and what was likely a troubled time for her, she moved forward with trust and faith. Regardless of what's behind us, let's keep our eyes on Jesus and celebrate the joy of this season.

Stop for a few moments and breathe in the spirit of the season. Capture the essence of joy. Then breathe out and share his hope.

 Who Would Imagine a King sung by my daughter Sara Hatch-

Rejoice and Reflect

Celebrating Christmas is a bit different this year.

Not as many gatherings, masked up to shop, not enough hugs.

Maybe your family has been hit with illness.

Maybe you work in the medical field.

Maybe you've lost someone dear. 

Maybe your school shut down.

But maybe somewhere, in all this mess, we can search and find some good.

Reflect on time with family, the opportunities to help others, 

the quiet times, the noisy times, and the tough times that made us stronger. 

Rejoice in the love of Jesus as you celebrate the season.

Celebrating Christmas~Joseph

Matthew 1:19-21, 24-25
Because Joseph her [Mary] husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, 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. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Joseph trusted the Lord.

As a child, I heard the story of Jesus' birth. We learned of the trek to Bethlehem, angels singing, shepherds visiting, and of course Mary giving birth to the baby Jesus. I imagined the animals surrounding the manger, the sheep baaing and cows mooing. But I didn't give much thought to Joseph. In the story, he knocks on the inn keeper's door and he leads Mary to the stable. I knew he was present, yet he disappeared into the background.

What I've learned since:

Joseph was kind, compassionate, and faithful to God. He truly loved Mary. I'm not surprised by any of this. In God's plan to bring Jesus into the world, he chose two people who adored and trusted Him. Joseph and Mary's engagement, as binding as marriage is today, could only be broken by divorce. Rather than expose Mary as pregnant before wedlock, Joseph planned to quietly divorce her and set her free. Otherwise, she could have been stoned to death for adultery.

Thank goodness the angel gave Joseph the low down on God's plan. On hearing the angel's words, he could have run the other way. Joseph could have laughed in the angel's face. Instead, he chose to trust God's plan. His faith overcame his fear.

This year the holidays don't seem the same. Some traditions may not happen. Gatherings may look different. Illness may hamper plans. The sadness and stress of 2020 may drag us down. Yet as we celebrate Jesus' birth, let's delight in the Lord with faith like Joseph. He tossed his fears aside and trusted in God. If Joseph could do that in his circumstance, surely we can too.

I pray as we head into the Christmas season, we consider Joseph's faith and his trust in God.

Click to tweet: Faith like Joseph