Mt. 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:
"Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
After Mary had been engaged to Joseph and before they had been together, she became pregnant. What were her thoughts? Was she afraid? I am sure that many people were gossiping and giving her looks. If it had not been for the Holy Spirit, they would have been right. Lk. 2 tells us that she had an angel visit. Gabriel said to her, Greetings O favored one, the Lord is with you. She was troubled to say the least, but Gabriel had more to say. And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Even if Mary would have bought in to this wholeheartedly, she wondered how would this happen. She was a virgin. Gabriel spoke again, And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy--the Son of God. For nothing will be impossible with God." And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. I love Mary's attitude, submissive, trusting, accepting. Let it be to me according to Your word.
What a sentence! It says it all. This should definitely be my attitude toward the word. When I read the Word, I should be willing and receptive to it even if it is outside of my comfort zone. But I also think a about the power of the Most High overshadowing her. Was she cognizant of what was happening? I know in Ps. 91 this power is protecting and comforting. He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. Truly she was sheltered and dwelling close to God. Jesus was that union between God and man even from His inception.
Joseph was a good and kind man who did not want to humiliate Mary in anyway. He resolved to divorce her quietly, that is until an angel visited him in a dream. He told Joseph not to fear marrying her, that the baby was from the Holy Spirit, and that His name would Jesus because He would save His people from their sins. All of this mirrored OT teaching and prophecy. When Joseph woke up, He obeyed the angel and married Mary. He refrained from knowing Mary until the child Jesus was born.
Both of their hearts and lives had been drastically changed. Mary had so much to ponder. The Son of God within her womb; the conception through the Holy Spirit, and her soon-to-be husband. I identify with Joseph and Mary in the fact that Jesus changes all things. He gives new life that transforms. When the Holy Spirit and Jesus work in the life that life is never the same.
Father,
What a gift! Thank You. What Joseph and Mary had in an angel visit, I have in the word of God.
In Jesus name,
Amen
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