Matthew 1:20-21
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.”
Matthew 2:16
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was
furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity
who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned
from the Magi.
Stress or celebration?
On Sunday afternoon, I went with Sara, Eli, and Ella Cate to
see the movie Journey to Bethlehem. The movie is a musical, so I wasn’t
sure what to expect. What I found was a fresh retelling of the birth of Jesus.
Yes, they took some creative liberties, but what I carried away from the movie
and thought about this week were two important messages.
King Herod was evil and so threatened by the thought of a
new king being born, he would go to the worst measure to get rid of the baby.
My heart broke for this man who, so full of pride and greed, would dive into
the depths of darkness to keep his crown.
The truth is, Jesus didn’t come to rule nations or dethrone
anyone. He came to rule the hearts of people. To spread love and offer hope. A
hope Herod never knew.
The second was the effect Mary’s pregnancy had on her family
and Joseph’s. We read of how Joseph said he would break the betrothal to Mary
quietly. Even still, Mary carried baby Jesus.
I have great respect for Joseph. Not just because he stepped
up and married Mary, but because of his faith in God. He trusted the One who
created him and carried out His plan in obedience.
When faced with a difficult circumstance or conflict, what
do I do? React like Herod and lash out? Or pray like Joseph and obey God?
As I consider the celebration of Christmas and the stress placed
on us to have everything perfect, I remember Mary and Joseph and their not so
perfect circumstances and know God doesn’t expect me to have a flawless holiday.
He only wants me to be obedient and have faith like Joseph and Mary and share
the love of Jesus.
How about you? Will Jesus’ love shine through your Christmas
celebration?
