Matthew 1:21

I am so glad that Joseph followed through with what the angel told him. The circumstances he found himself in were quite peculiar. Can you imagine what was going through his mind when Mary told him she was pregnant? “So I’m supposed to believe that an angel came to you, told you the Holy Spirit would make you pregnant…and you said okay? Shouldn’t we have talked about this first?”

So what does God do? He sends His angel to confirm that what Mary told him was true. Joseph still had to be willing to go along with God’s plan — and thankfully he did. By all accounts, he was a wonderful earthly father to Jesus and a faithful husband to Mary.

God’s plans are not always convenient. There always seems to be an element of sacrifice in accomplishing what He desires. Yet His grace is sufficient to carry us through, and we always come away with a story to tell. Maybe that’s the point. We were never meant to go through life without Him; yet because of the Fall, we found ourselves in the untenable position of being separated from the very Source of life Himself.

So God made a way for us — and His name is Jesus. This Christmas Day, may we each reflect on God’s wonderful gift of salvation presented to us in His Son, Jesus. In our reflection, may we also graciously receive this gift by inviting Jesus into our hearts. It is as simple as saying:

“Jesus, thank You for coming, for living the life You lived, and for dying for me so that I could be reconciled to the Father. Please forgive me of my sins and come into my heart. Remove anything that offends You and help me walk in ways that please You. I pray this in the mighty name the Father gave You — the name of Jesus!”

What better way to honor God this Christmas than by receiving the gift of His Son, Jesus? He is the greatest gift you will ever open in your lifetime.

Merry Christmas, all!