I WONDER AS I WANDER

Maybe you have heard the beautiful old Appalachian carol, “I Wonder as I Wander”, rediscovered by John Jacob Niles in about 1932. It is said that he heard a young woman evangelist singing this carol and made her sing it over and over until he captured it. One can feel the passion of the lyricist,  lost in obscurity, as the haunting melody weaves its way in and out of the lyrics. Take a listen on Youtube. You won’t be sorry.

I wonder as I wander out under the sky

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die

For poor or’nry (ordinary) people like you and like I

I wonder as I wonder out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus ‘twas in a cow stall

With wise men and farmers and shepherds and all

And high from God’s heaven a star’s light did fall

As the promise of ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing

A star in the sky or a bird on the wing

Or all of God’s angels in heaven for to sing

He surely could have it, for He was the King.

Ponder the mystery. God the Son, who spoke the worlds into being, confined in swaddling clothes and sleeping in a manger, a cattle trough. He emptied Himself, humbled Himself, made Himself nothing. Why? Because He didn’t want a star, or a bird, or an angel choir. He wanted you and me, and there was only one way to rescue us from our enemy. So He became obedient unto Death, even Death on a Cross. Now highly exalted, Lord of all, He calls us into fellowship with Himself, His Father and the Holy Spirit. What wondrous love is this!

WHY LEAVE HEAVEN?

Most of us are familiar with Isaiah 9:6-7; it’s a favorite Christmas text. But notice that the passage starts with the word “for”. What is the “for” for? Let’s take a listen to the words of the Lord through Isaiah, reaching across some 700 years of time into the chaos of our world.

Every warrior’s boot used in battle
    and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
    will be fuel for the fire.
⁶ For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given,
    and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
    Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
⁷ Of the greatness of his government and peace
    there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
    and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
    with justice and righteousness
    from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
    will accomplish this. (Is. 9:5-7 NIV)

I don’t have to remind you that we on this planet are at war, war with each other, war with a world order that threatens to drain the life out of us, even war with ourselves. The Prince of Darkness spreads hate and misery everywhere. But his days are numbered. The day that the Prophet spoke about is coming. No more need for warrior’s boots, no more bloodshed, for unto us a CHILD is born! Our Prince of Peace is coming back, not as a tiny baby confined to a manger, but as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

May the Prince of Peace speak Peace to your hearts tonight, even in this moment. Jesus is here – all things are possible!

LIGHT IN DECEMBER’S DARK

Have you noticed? Christmas is coming, as it always does, in good times and bad times. Satan’s efforts to snuff out its light have proven to be futile. At dusk, Christmas tree lights pop on, glowing in my neighbor’s window across the street. They remind me of a verse in John chapter 1: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men”. This is our Savior, Jesus, the source of our light, the Father’s unspeakable gift to us.  Through him we see clearly what the Father is like. His life becomes ours and we come into relationship with the Father, a relationship of sonship, intimacy and fellowship. A good thought as I edge the thermostat up once again and preheat the oven for the annual baking of my Aunt Judy’s Swedish rusks.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:26)

Jumping back a few verses in John 1, I find this treasure. “The light shines in darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it”. On that night so long ago in the little town of Bethlehem, Israel’s Messianic hopes seemed all but lost. “Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, the silent stars go by.” Was Jehovah really involved? Had He forgotten His people? The songwriter answers this question for us.  “Yet in thy dark street shineth the everlasting light”. Soon shepherds out on the dark hills, despised by their culture, would be the first to hear the good news: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord”. And so it happened, in God’s perfect timing. “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight”.

This is my Father’s world!”In spite of the cultural slide away from Biblical faith here in the West, in spite of the increasing indifference and hostility toward the Gospel, the Light of Bethlehem will shine brighter and brighter unto the perfect day of His coming.  It’s definitely time to brave the attic’s chill and dig out the nativity set.

Then I remember Jesus’ challenge from the Sermon on the Mount. “Ye are the light of the world”. Will these words make a difference in my day? Now there is a challenge that might get me through the winter, even after the Christmas decorations are tucked away for another year.  So what if it’s ridiculously dark on this shivery morning? So what if we have yet to pass the winter solstice, when we can at least begin counting the days until spring? I’m challenged to let His light shine through me on these dark days. At what time of year is it more needed? What plans might the Holy Spirit have for me today? Whom will God put in my path today who is desperately in need of some light? What words can I share that will dispel the darkness in someone’s heart?  I’ll be watching and listening. Christmas light is shining!

FROM HEAVEN TO A MANGER

ZECHARIAH

The old man breathed a sigh of relief as he settled into his carefully arranged cushions. Peace at last! All morning long he had searched for an escape from the whirlwind of preparations for his baby son’s circumcision, and at last he had found it. The roof! “Why didn’t I think of this hours ago?” he wondered. Even though he could not speak, the bustle of activity in the house had been impossible to ignore. Servant girls scurrying here and there…..neighbors and relatives dropping in to help…..Elizabeth’s sister Rachel trying to run things as usual. He smiled to himself.  There were a few advantages to being unable to speak, after all. No one expected him to answer any questions.

His beautiful Elizabeth reigned above all the commotion, nursing the baby as she orchestrated the whole event down to the last detail. No one had noticed when he slipped quietly out of the house and up the outside stairs.  Tucked away in this quiet corner of the roof, his tired old bones soothed by the warmth of the Judean sun, he could ponder the mystery of the last few months in peace.

The baby! He could still hardly believe that this tiny, perfect boy was really his very own son. He and Elizabeth had long ago reconciled themselves to the heartbreak of a childless home. As the years went by, their love for God and for each other had grown to fill the void. But now and again, in unguarded moments, he would catch a glimpse of that wistful longing in Elizabeth’s soft gray eyes, and he shared her pain. Then, one day, everything changed.

His thoughts traveled back to that day, just a few short months ago, when he was serving his turn as a priest in the temple in Jerusalem. Lots were cast to decide which one of the priests in his division would be honored to go into the Holy Place, taking a pan of coals from the altar of burnt offering to the altar of incense. There, incense would be sprinkled on the hot coals as intercession was made for God’s people. Zechariah’s priestly heart skipped a beat when his name was chosen to be the one; all of his life he had longed for this moment, and now it was here!

Every detail of that sacred place had etched itself on his memory.  A wave of holy fear, mingled with joy, had stirred him as he entered the Holy Place with the pan of smoldering coals in his hands. The sweet fragrance of the incense wafted up before Jehovah. “Show me Your Glory, O Lord,” he breathed. Suddenly, just to the right of the incense altar, an angel appeared, shining with the Glory of God. His fear intensified, gripping his soul, immobilizing him. But the angel’s comforting words broke through his terror: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John……he will be great in the sight of the Lord…..filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth…..he will go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah…..to make ready a people prepared for the Lord…..”

The angel’s words also filled him with incredulity. Zechariah knew the Scriptures all too well. This “son” would be the one to prepare Israel for their Messiah, their long awaited King. How could this be? He could not contain the question that rose up in his heart. “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”  He didn’t know it then, but those were to be the last words he would speak until this very day. The moment they were spoken, he regretted them.

The angel thundered, “I am Gabriel! I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

Zechariah stood in shame as the angel disappeared. Why hadn’t he just believed? What more proof had he needed? He slowly turned and left the Holy Place to face the people, his voice gone. Try as he might, he could not convey to them all that had happened. They only knew that he had seen some sort of vision. All he could do was finish out his priestly duties, longing to return home to Elizabeth, for he knew she would understand it all. And she did not disappoint him. Together, they pondered the mystery of the angel’s words as Zechariah wrote them out for her.

As the next few weeks passed by, their astonishment deepened with the knowledge of the new life growing in Elizabeth’s body. But greater even than their joy in the coming birth was the reality of the truth it confirmed. Jehovah was moving in history; His purposes were about to be revealed. Zechariah and Elizabeth recalled Jacob’s prophecy over his son Judah nearly 2000 years before – “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until He comes to whom it belongs, and the obedience of the nations is His.” They knew that the Romans’ puppet king Herod, now ruling in Jerusalem, was an Edomite, an avowed enemy of Israel, and that the line of Jewish kings seemed lost in oblivion. Could it be that in these desperate times for Israel, the age-old promise of Messiah was about to be fulfilled?

One day, about six months later, their hope was confirmed by a surprise visit from Mary, Elizabeth’s young cousin from Nazareth in Galilee, Zechariah could hear the excitement in their voices from the other room. This was no ordinary family catchup conversation. Soon Elizabeth, breathless with excitement, brought Mary to him and shared her astounding news. The look on Mary’s face conveyed much of the story even as he began to grasp the impact of what she was telling him. This young girl fairly glowed with the presence of the Holy Spirit. Mary had always been a devout girl with an intense love for God, unusual in one so young. But now she seemed brimming with joy, radiant. Zechariah’s heart thrilled at the faithfulness of God as he took in the words of Mary’s song of praise.

“Zechariah!” Elizabeth marveled. “ When our baby heard Mary’s voice, he leaped for joy!”

What an honor it had been to have the mother of the Lord Himself in their home for the next few weeks, a comfort and strength to them while they waited for the birth of their baby.

The gentle touch of Elizabeth’s hand on his shoulder brought him back to the present. “So here you are, my love, hiding on the rooftop! I was beginning to wonder if I would ever find you! Everyone is gathering and we’re just about ready to begin.” 

His little son, just eight days old, gazed up at him from Elizabeth’s arms with those beautiful eyes so like his mother’s. Zechariah followed her down the stairs and into the courtyard

What a crowd! Everyone seemed ready to begin, but he soon sensed a delay. An argument was brewing between Elizabeth and the other relatives, Rachel in particular, over the naming of the baby. Zechariah thought to himself, “Oh no! I should have seen this coming.” Everyone would naturally assume that the baby would be named for his father. But Zechariah knew better than to question the angel’s words again. In a matter of seconds someone asked him what the baby would be called. Without hesitation, he wrote, “His name is John”. No sooner had he laid down the writing tablet than he felt a surge of praise welling up from the depths of his heart, and he found his voice, just as the angel had promised. The words, he knew, were not his own.

“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because He has come and has redeemed His people…..to show mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant…..to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve Him without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days…..the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

Locked in time, the crowd of people stood in awe of God’s greatness, His infinite love and faithfulness. Tears coursed down Zechariah’s face as the reality of this moment broke upon him.  Salvation was coming! He gathered baby John in his arms and held him close, knowing that the road ahead would not be easy, but that God’s eternal purposes were even now unfolding before his eyes.

MARY

Someone should have been there to meet them.

They threaded their way slowly through the jostling crowds, looking for a place to spend the night.  Evening light bathed the ancient city of David in a golden glow, but the young couple, exhausted from the day’s journey, hardly noticed. Joseph’s face wore a look of quiet desperation. The long trip from Nazareth had worn them both out and brought on Mary’s first labor pains. She leaned heavily against him, her breath coming in short gasps as she struggled to put one foot in front of the other. Inwardly, he fought a rising panic. What kind of a provider was he, anyway?

The young teenage girl, sensing his concern, tried her best to reassure him. “Don’t worry, Joseph. God will find a place for us.” She suppressed her own anxiety for his sake. She could tell that this baby was coming soon, no matter where they were.   And there seemed to be no room anywhere – not even a corner in the crowded and filthy inn, which was really nothing more than a huge roof under which to take shelter with all the other travelers. No walls, no sanitation, no privacy.  They had checked it out first, but the census had swollen the town with visitors.  And night was coming on. She felt its chill as each pain grew a little stronger.

Their footsteps led them toward the outskirts of town, away from the crowds. When the next contraction came, it immobilized her; she collapsed against him. “Joseph, I have to lie down,” she pleaded.

A strange impulse caused Joseph to spy a nearby cave, a makeshift stable filled with the sounds and smells of animals.  “Just a little further, Mary,” he urged. “This will have to do.”

Somehow he managed to lift her those last few feet into the cave. He settled her in as best he could, spreading clean straw and warm robes over the filth. It wasn’t much, but it was warm and private. Carefully he lay down beside her. Flies buzzed lazily overhead as the sheep and cattle gazed at the intruders.

Exhausted from the trip, steeling herself for the night ahead, Mary cried  in Joseph’s arms. If only her mother could be here with her now! Was her baby really going to be born in a stable? Her thoughts jumped back in time to that day only nine months ago, when everything changed….had she dreamed it all? No, it was real….

It was just an ordinary day. She was alone in the courtyard, making preparations for the evening meal and dreaming of Joseph. But the angel’s powerful voice broke into her reverie….”Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

Mary had trembled with fear as she turned toward the brightness that seemed to have come out of nowhere. What could this possibly mean? She was only a poor Jewish girl. She was no one special.

The angel’s next words were both reassuring and startling. “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. You will be pregnant and will birth a son, and you are to name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”

Mary’s mind raced as her spirit soared with the majesty of these words. “Pregnant?” she queried. “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.” Mary trembled at the sound of authority in the angel’s message. “Even Elizabeth your cousin is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was barren is six months pregnant. Nothing is impossible with God!”

The full impact of the angel’s words began to sink in. She, Mary, was going to be the mother of the Messiah of Israel, the king on whom the hope of all ages hung! “I am your handmaiden, Lord; let it be just as You have said,” she responded, her heart singing.

After the angel left, Mary dared not move, lost in the wonder of it all.  “I’ve got to go see Zechariah and Elizabeth,” she determined.  She could not talk about this to anyone just yet.  She needed to see her cousin; somehow the angel’s news about Elizabeth would confirm his words. Her parents’ permission given, Mary left within a few days for the hill country of Judea, wondering all the way if it could be true that Elizabeth was really pregnant.

As Mary approached the home of Zechariah and Elizabeth, her mind full of questions, she called out to them in greeting.

“Shalom! I’m here!”

Elizabeth came running to the gate, heavy with her unborn baby. A torrent of words burst from her. “Blessed are you among women! Blessed is the baby you will birth! Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to see me? As soon as you spoke, my own baby leaped for joy. Blessed are you for believing that what God has said to you will happen!”

Mary gasped. “….the mother of my Lord….”? It was true, just as the angel had said. From deep within Mary’s spirit, a song began to form. “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior…..for the Mighty One has done great things for me….holy is His name….”

Mary stayed with Zechariah and Elizabeth for three months. For hours at a time they pored over prophecies in the scriptures about the coming Messiah. Mary soaked them up like a sponge, much to Zechariah’s delight. Being a priest, he knew them well.  But this could not go on forever.  Mary knew she must soon return to Nazareth, and who there would believe her?

Sometimes she would wake up in the morning thinking she had dreamed it all. But her changing body told her that this baby was very real. She needed to go home and face Joseph, her parents, and her friends. How could she tell them she was pregnant with God’s Son?

She feared that she would surely lose Joseph, the love of her life. He would assume that she had been unfaithful to him. They were engaged to be married, an agreement as binding as if the marriage had already taken place. Now her wedding could never be. At the worst, Joseph could have her stoned for adultery. At the least, he would quietly divorce her, and be out of her life forever. These thoughts plagued her as she hugged Elizabeth goodbye and made her way home to Nazareth. What would happen to her?

Back home, Mary determined to keep her secret no longer. She looked for the first opportunity to speak to her mother in private. It came that evening as they were cleaning up after the evening meal.

She took a deep breath. “Mother, something wonderful has happened to me, but it’s going to sound so strange to you,” she began.

Her mother’s eyes widened with amazement as Mary recounted the angel’s breathtaking message and Elizabeth’s startling news. She could see the struggle on her mother’s face intensify as she began to realize the implications of all that Mary was telling her.

“Mary, how can this be?” her mother echoed Mary’s own question. “Are you joking? Have you lost your mind?” Instinctively her mother reached out a hand to feel Mary’s forehead.

“I can’t explain it, Mother, but it happened,” she answered, emotion clouding her voice.

Her mother gathered her into her arms, holding her close as the young girl cried. For a moment, she was mommy’s little girl once again. But in that moment, Mary’s mother knew that she had told her the truth.  She stroked Mary’s hair as she remembered the words of the prophet, “A virgin will be pregnant and will birth a son, and will call him Emmanuel, God with us.” God had chosen her little girl.

“No one, not even Joseph, will understand this, “she murmured.

Tears of relief coursed down Mary’s face. “I know, Mother, “she sobbed. “But it’s so real, so wonderful. Maybe we can make him understand.”

“I hope so, Sweetheart,” her mother sighed, “I hope so. I’ll explain it all to your father, and have him ask Joseph to stop by after work tomorrow night.

The next day seemed to stretch into eternity for Mary. Finally evening came, and she knew that her whole future hung in the balance. How would Joseph react? She was not sorry that she had obeyed God. But the price was high, higher than she had ever dreamed it would be….

JOSEPH

Joseph hated the smell of the stable. He tried to block it out and focus on Mary, struggling to remember all that her mother had taught him about midwifery, just in case. If only they had been able to find a clean, decent place for the birth. He felt so ashamed, so inadequate, fighting to stay calm as he wondered what lay ahead for both of them. How on earth would they get through this night? “There, there, Mary,” he stroked her arm, doing his best to comfort her as she faced another contraction. Wrestling with his thoughts, he sorted through the events that had turned his world upside down….A simple carpenter and craftsman like his father, Joseph reveled in his quiet world of family and friends contained in the little town of Nazareth. Each day he rose in the morning to work with his father in the shop, feeling the wood take on form and utility as he crafted it into a chair or an oxcart. Every seventh day was Sabbath, a reminder of Jehovah’s overriding presence in the lives of His people. He loved the easy rhythm of the weeks.

As he neared his twenty-fifth birthday, Joseph began to think seriously about marriage. He was well established now in his business, and could finally provide the dowry. He longed for a wife and family of his own. But not just any wife. Mary was the one. Mary, daughter of Joachim and Anna. He had known her since she was a little girl. Dark eyed, with smooth olive skin, slim and graceful even as a child, she had blossomed into an exquisite young woman. A chance meeting with her in the street or the marketplace could take his breath away. Were other young men noticing her? More and more, she occupied his thoughts.“I’ll speak to Father about this, “he determined. “He can get things moving.”

Once his decision was made, Joseph wasted no time. The next morning, as he and his father enjoyed a moment of rest between jobs, he took a deep breath and spoke. “Father, I want to get married, “he said.“Well, it’s about time,” his father smiled. He yawned and stretched, soaking in the warmth of the morning sunshine. “Whom do you have in mind?”“Mary, daughter of Joachim and Anna,” Joseph replied, sighing with relief.His father nodded his approval.

“Your mother will be pleased. We are very fond of Anna and Joachim.” Visions of dark eyed grandchildren, bouncing on his knee, filled his imagination.

Joseph’s father was a man of action. Within days a deputy was chosen to negotiate the price of the dowry with Mary’s father and his chosen deputy. All had gone well; Mary’s father appeared to be delighted with his prospective son-in-law. Joseph, however, began to wonder. How did Mary feel? Could she learn to love him? As the day of the betrothal grew near, the questions loomed larger and larger.

The night of the betrothal finally came. Joseph’s heart raced as he and his parents approached Mary’s home. He clutched the gold ring in his hand, fingering its loveliness. What if she found him repulsive? What if she secretly loved another young man in the village? What if?

Soft lamplight and a warm welcome greeted them as they entered the small home. Joseph’s pounding heart quickened even more as he caught Mary’s gaze, unable to bear the suspense any longer. Her eyes told him what he needed to know. She was his! Time stood still in that little room as he spoke the ancient words: “See by this ring thou art set apart for me, according to the Law of Moses and of Israel.”

The wedding would take place in a year. Plans began at once for this festive event, both mothers involved in every detail. Now Joseph could start adding onto his father’s home, making rooms for his new bride. Now he could spend time with Mary, getting to know her.But before he knew what had happened, Mary disappeared almost overnight. She had decided to visit her cousin Elizabeth, without so much as a word of explanation. He was somewhat perplexed, but concentrated on preparing their new home. After all, a betrothal was as binding as a marriage, and maybe she just needed some time with her cousin before she became his wife. He could be patient.

Three long months went by. Then one afternoon, Mary’s father came into the shop.“Joseph, Mary is back from Judea. Can you stop by after work? I’ve asked your father and mother to be there, too.”Something in her father’s voice was not right. Joseph knew it. He could not understand the feeling of dread that nibbled at the corners of his mind for the rest of the afternoon. Right after work, he headed for her house. That wheel could wait until morning.

There she was, waiting for him at the gate. How beautiful she was! How he had missed her. Her eyes lit up as he approached her, and together they entered the courtyard, where both sets of parents waited for them. The looks on their faces signaled to him that this was no ordinary visit.

Joseph’s mother and father mirrored his apprehension.“Hello, Joseph. Please sit down,” her father spoke. “We need to talk.”Then Mary’s father told them the whole story.

Joseph listened quietly, trying to control his emotions as he took in the strange and unbelievable tale. He had been taught the scriptures, like any other Jewish boy. But his very own Mary?He cast a sidelong glance at her face, not wanting to embarrass her further, but desperately hungry to read some message there. What he saw, surprised him. Strangely calm, filled with a joy he had never before seen in her eyes, she seemed…..well, holy. What could this mean? Was it all true, or was he being taken for a fool?

What if it were true? He knew this girl, he loved this girl. She would not deceive him. He looked at her, sitting there, her life in his hands. No. No. The whole thing was just too fantastic. This could not be happening.

Suddenly he could endure it no longer. “I loved you, Mary,” he cried as he felt his world falling apart. Then he walked out into the night.

For days, he wrestled with his emotions. Love, Joseph found, was not something that could be extinguished like a lamp at night. His heart ached for his loss and for Mary, who would now be an outcast in their little town. How should he handle the situation? He had no desire to expose her to public disgrace by bringing her before the magistrate. He had heard that this could be done when the marriage covenant was violated. But he knew of no one who had ever done this, and he didn’t have the heart for it. What good would it do? He was too devastated to be angry.

As he wandered up and down the little hills around Nazareth, trying to walk off some of the pain, his mind began to clear. The gentlest and simplest solution, he decided, would be to quietly divorce her without assigning a cause. Yes, this was what he must do.Once his decision was made, he felt a measure of peace, but the searing pain of her betrayal remained. He had thought he knew Mary so well. He still could not imagine that she had done this to him. He wondered if he would ever be certain of anything, or anyone, again. How could God have allowed this to happen to him?

The night after he made his decision, he wrestled with these questions as he drifted off into an uneasy sleep.“Joseph, son of David!” The angel’s voice broke into his sleep. “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife; because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will birth a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Joseph sat upright in bed, fully awake now. Was the dream from God? Yes, he was sure of it. He knew he was in God’s presence; it was tangible. Jesus. The same name Mary had been given. Faith began to rise in Joseph’s heart. Mary’s fantastic story was true!The despair he had felt for days was gone. Mary was his, his to protect and care for through the coming ordeal. For he knew that others would not believe them. He finally lay back on his bed, trying to take in this wonder, this mystery, as the morning light slowly crept into the room. Sleep was far away now. He could hardly wait to tell her!

As soon as he heard the roosters crowing, Joseph got up, dressed, and hurried to Mary’s house. He woke the whole family, but no one really cared. Joy filled the house that morning.“Mary must come and live with me now,” Joseph told her father. “The angel told me to take her home to be my wife. Don’t worry; I’ll take good care of her.”

The wedding ceremony took place quietly as soon as arrangements could be made. Under the circumstances, a big wedding party was out of the question. And the little town of Nazareth did not spare the young couple from the cruelty of its gossip. Most people preferred to assume the worst, that Joseph and Mary had been forced into a hasty wedding by their immoral behavior.

It was not an easy time for them. Many times Joseph came home from work to find Mary weeping. He knew how she dreaded her daily trips to the village well. It was always the same, but it never got any easier for her. She told him she could feel, more than hear, the cruel whisperings of the other women as she approached them. Only a few months ago, this was a time of day that she treasured, a time to giggle and chat with her friends, to bask in the attention of the older women. But now! Their averted eyes and shallow courtesy almost broke her heart. She would steel herself against their contempt and draw the water as quickly as possible. At the end of the day, he would hold her in his arms and comfort her as best he could. Together they watched and waited, counting the days as the baby grew inside her.

Then one day, disturbing news came in the form of a decree from Caesar Augustus, Emperor of Rome. Another census was being taken, and every person was required to go to the city of his ancestry to pay yet another tax. It wasn’t the money that worried Joseph, although that did present a problem. It was Mary. She was almost nine months pregnant, and in no condition to make such a journey. But Joseph knew it was futile to argue with Rome.

The couple prepared carefully for the trip, taking everything they could think of that might be needed for the birth. Mary’s mother instructed Joseph in midwifery, telling him all she could think of that might help. Joseph realized with a shudder that there might be no one else to help when the time came. So early one morning, they set off for the little town of Bethlehem in Judea, three days away.There were times during the trip when Joseph wondered if Mary would make it to Bethlehem. But somehow they were here, tucked away in a smelly, dirty stable.

Suddenly, Joseph’s train of thought was broken by Mary’s sharp cry…

BABY BOY

It was dark, so dark. Mary felt herself being pulled down into the pain again. Don’t scream, don’t scream, she told herself. Don’t lose control. She gripped Joseph’s hand with all her strength as the pain mastered her, then little by little, released her to sanity. She caught her breath, her mind alive and scrambling to understand.

I never knew it would be like this….the angel…..the bright shining….Jehovah, where are You? Can You be the source of this? The sweat, the stench, the merciless agony? Here it comes again…..

“Mary, Mary….hold on, it’s all right…” Nothing could reach her now. The pain possessed her.

“The baby is coming now….push, push….”

The urge to push seized her now, more intensity than pain. “Once more, once more…” she felt the baby slip from her body into Joseph’s hands.

The tiny boy cried, sucking in lungsful of air between healthy screams. Joseph cut the cord and washed him in a warm salt solution to prevent infection. Mary looked on in amazement as the baby quieted, soothed by the touch of those big carpenter hands. Joseph wrapped him tightly in the clean swaddling clothes Mary’s mother had prepared. Then he placed her little son in her arms.

An uncontrollable joy washed through her. “Jesus!” she whispered to him for the first time.  The words of Isaiah rang in her heart. “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called ‘Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.’”

As Mary drifted off to sleep, Joseph lifted the baby from her arms. Where could he place this tight little bundle? A feeding trough for the animals, nothing more than a hollowed-out stone, caught his eye. This manger would have to do for a bed. He filled it with soft, warm hay and placed the sleeping baby in it. Exhausted, he lay down beside Mary in the darkness.

SHEPHERDS

Suddenly, the peaceful silence of the night was broken by the sound of rough edged voices. Closer and closer, louder and louder. Mary stirred out of deep slumber. “It sounds like a search party. Who can possibly know we are here? And why would they care?”  Just then a group of noisy shepherds burst into the cave.

“Do you folks have a baby in here?”

“You won’t believe what just happened out in the field…an angel…he was gigantic…the sky was filled with them…this baby is the Messiah?”

“We were camped out there watching the lambs…”

“The angel told us to look for a baby in a manger…”

“Look, Aaron, he is  in a manger, just like the angel said!”

For a moment, Joseph’s protective instincts rose to the surface. Shepherds were despised by most in Israel. They were not considered worthy even to be witnesses in court. But now, Joseph and Mary realized, shepherds had been chosen to be the first witnesses of Messiah’s birth. It would be shepherds who would spread the news, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” A hush filled the little cave as the shepherds, overwhelmed now by the brooding Presence of the Holy Spirit, knelt in worship.  Then they left, eager to tell everyone what had happened. And the little family drifted back to sleep at last…

SIMEON AND ANNA

The next few weeks passed quietly. The little family was able to move to better lodgings as soon as the city emptied of all its taxpayers. Eight days later the baby was circumcised and named. Jesus, twice named by the angel.

When the time of Mary’s purification after childbirth was completed, according to the Law of Moses, they brought Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. Poor as they were, they were only able to bring a sacrifice of two young pigeons. As they entered the temple with the baby, they were surprised by an old man who walked straight toward them, excitement in his eyes. He seemed to recognize them, although they had never seen him before. It was unnerving.

Before Mary realized what was happening, he reached for the baby, scooped him up in his arms, and turned his eyes toward heaven.“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to Your people Israel.”Mary and Joseph drank in his words.

They did not know that old Simeon had been directed by the Holy Spirit to the temple that day, for God had promised him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah for himself. Simeon blessed them and warned Mary that this child would have a profound effect upon Israel, and that “….a sword will pierce your own soul too”. She could not quite suppress a tremor of fear as she looked down at baby Jesus in Simeon’s arms. What lay ahead for all of them?

As Simeon gave the baby back to Mary, an old woman named Anna gently touched her arm and began to thank God for her baby. Anna, a widow, had devoted her life to God and the temple. The young couple reveled in the beauty of Anna’s prayer. In later years, they would look back to this day. They would remember the words of Simeon and Anna…

THE WISE MEN