“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
Isaiah 7:14
How would you feel if you realized that you were fulfilling scripture that so many people before you had been reading for generations?
I have been thinking about Mary and Jospeh lately. I don’t think I spend enough time with the Christmas story. Did you ever realize that the angel came to Mary and Joseph about the same time of year that their first son would be crucified 30 some years later?
I also tend to read the Christmas story the week of December 25th, but by that time, I have tried to squish everything into a small time line.
Mary must have been visited by the angel some 9 months before Christmas. She then visited her cousin Elizabeth for a while. Then, she had to be back in Nazareth before journeying to Bethlehem with Joseph. I imagine this journey was around a month or the time of advent. One thing I have been reminded during my journey is that it’s not always about the destination, but the the twists and turns I take over bumpy and smooth roads to get there.
As Mary and Joseph journeyed, I imagine they were filled with hope, joy, peace and love like what we celebrate as we prepare for Christ during Advent. But I would imagine they also would have been anxious and nervous.
I imagine the journey was a time God was preparing their hearts. Everyone forsees their lives in some way. I am sure Mary and Josesph did not imagine their lives in the way God had it planned. They must have faced looks of distrust and question and probably lost many friends. But they remained faithful to God’s plan even when it messed up the simple life they had imagined. I am thankful for Mary’s faith and trust in God to do the impossible which has saved humanity. Maybe God’s plan for your life is not exactly like Mary’s, but is it different than your plan? Are you willing to lay your plans down for the better plan God has for you?
Merry Christmas! My team is celebrating both with our ministry and doing some outreach in Phnom Pen on Christmas. We will host a Christmas program for around 100 kids in the village. We will make dinner, have a skit, play games, sing carols, and have a gift exchange. My team is planning on spending time in Phnom Pen with a Christmas dinner and doing some evangelism outreach. What a better day to tell others about my faith then on His birthday! Hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas!
Much love,
Kimmy
