TUESDAY: THE FIRST CHRISTMAS

Dec 13, 2022
2 min read

Matthew 1:18-25

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her 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.”

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

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.

God chose a young woman named Mary, who was pledged to be married. She had already given her heart away twice—once to God, and once to Joseph. Joseph was an honorable man and a man of integrity. He was faithful to the law as defined in the Scriptures. He didn’t want anything bad to happen to Mary and desired to save her from public disgrace. While he was pondering, God gave him a dream and told him to take Mary as his wife, for the Child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS

God asks us to have faith in Him, and He asked Joseph to believe something that had never happened before and has not happened since. God was patient with Joseph and recognized he was afraid. Joseph did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He was honorable and faithful to God and to Mary, just as Mary was faithful to God and to Joseph. And through it all, God brought Jesus to earth, so He could be with us.

Lord, help me to be faithful to You, and help me to love those people You have given me to love. Thank You for sending Your Son and allowing Mary and Joseph to be a part of His story. Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman