Description
Embracing God’s Plan: Advent Meditation on Mary and Joseph
In this Advent Meditation, we explore the dramatic changes G… (visit YouTube for more)
Transcript
I was struck in today’s Advent Meditation how dramatically God can change our plans. Matthew chapter 1 verse 18. 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.
Now, betrothal in the time of Mary and Joseph would have been a little bit different from what we now know as engagement. There would have been plans made between the families, there may even have been some kind of contract. It was a really big deal. They weren’t married, but they were well on that path to marriage, and everybody would have understood what was happening, and the families would have been involved in agreeing and making this happen.
And now suddenly, this virginal young woman is found to be with child. There would have been uproar in first century Israel. If this happened this could cause chaos.
This is why Joseph was trying not to make a scene. He just wanted quietly to dissolve that contract, that understanding between the two of them. So God’s come and he’s done this. And he’s driven coach and horses through their plans as only he can, especially when we’re willing.
And he found in Mary, a willing young lady who said, let it be to me according to your will. And that’s incredibly challenging to us, isn’t it? How willing are we to say to God, at Christmas time, at Advent, or any other time, God, whatever, literally whatever you want to do with me, I’m going to say yes to that.
Here Mary is laying down her innocence, her reputation, possibly even her future marriage, because God showed up and said, Hang on, let’s do this my way.
What a difference it makes to our lives when we say yes to God. Are you going to say yes to Him today? Am I? Let’s meditate on that.
