Christmas Advent Devotional Day 15: The Tension

 


 


 

Matt 1:18-19

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. 19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly.  (NKJV)

 

The birth of Jesus shattered everyone’s expectations.  It ran counter to cultural norms of that time.  We often think when things are “of God” that they will go off without a hitch, but that is not Biblical.  Case in point, the birth of Messiah.

In the first century, marriages were two steps-betrothal then marriage.  The betrothal, though, is different than our engagement.  Theirs was legally binding and only a divorce could break it.

Joseph, who according to this passage was a just man, found himself in a conundrum. He was engaged to a woman, with whom he had had no relations, yet she is pregnant.  According to Old Testament law, it was within his right to have both Mary and the father stoned to death for adultery. (Deut. 22:24)

But because Joseph was just, the life of both Mary and the child was spared.  It appears that Joseph had feelings for the young, unwed mother.  He chose to show her mercy rather than justice. (Much as Christ would later do when confronted with a woman “caught in the act of adultery.)

For today, just sit with this story up to this point… Mary, whom we know to be a virgin, is pregnant.  There are no precedents for this situation.  She is the only one for all eternity. Her condition was actually the holiest thing to ever occur to a human, and yet it left her open to be seen as defiled.  Cheap. Unholy.

What would God do?  How would He handle it?

There is often a tension in life between what we know/believe God is doing behind the scenes, and what it appears like to a watching world.  And to our own hearts. Consider Mary’s feelings. Joseph’s. 

Does this feel like glad tidings yet?

Please pray with me:

Dear Lord, there is much about the way that you work that puzzles and confuses me.  I do not understand your ways, but I trust them.  Even when I cannot fathom what you are doing, I choose to put my hope and trust in you today.



 

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