A humilated king: #5 (A different story and Merry Christmas)

First, let me say, "Merry Christmas!" This will be my last post until the new year. I hope each of you have a wonderful time with family.

My first ever "Cookie Nativity"

A Humiliated King

Bethlehem was busy and crowded, but only a few people knew our King and Savior was born. The barn stunk, it was cold, scratchy, itchy, raw, but it was a place to lay down and give birth. And Immanuel (God with us) was born and God was physically with us like never before. But, nothing about this "king" fit anyone's understanding of how a king should come into the world. His birthplace, his heritage, well, nothing was right. According to whom?

In my honest opinion, if Jesus had come into the world the way the world expected, then where would faith come in? Without faith, we would just follow whatever seems good and comes easy.

The fact that Jesus is so contrary is what makes me believe in him even more. His humble beginnings shows us a humble God. And Jesus did not come the way he fully deserved.  Oh, how much Jesus really sacrificed. He came with nothing and left with nothing, but our sins.

Christians are the only people who serve a God whose Son endured complete humiliation, mockery and cruelness...

ALL to say, "I love you, I forgive you, and I will sacrifice my life just to be with you." 

Merry CHRISTmas!

 

Face to face with God: A different Christmas Story #4

I have two more parts to my Christmas story series before I take a break for the rest of this year and for the Christmas season. Today is an aspect of Mary and Joseph that I haven't thought about, but came to me as I was reading and thinking about Mary's response...her pondering the night Jesus was born. 

Joseph and Mary saw so many miracles and promises come forth from the time she was told by the angel that she would become pregnant and carry God's only son, Jesus. Mary was told her cousin Elizabeth was pregnant and she was, Mary really was pregnant while still a virgin, she witnessed shepherds spreading the word of Jesus' birth and then later when Jesus was older, the Magi came and gave gifts, bowed and worshiped him. So many awesome occurrences, but the most amazing... 

Mary and Joseph were the only persons to actually see God in person, face to face and live! 

Yes, Moses literally heard the Lord, was in the presence of the Lord, but he could not see the Lord in all his glory for he would die. (See Exodus 19-23).

A baby like no other, the Messiah all had been waiting on for so many years. A miracle with a special star just for him.  A privilege.

 And Mary's beautiful response?

"She treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." -NIV Luke 2:19

It is as if she never wanted to forget this precious moment. I wouldn't have wanted to either.

I wonder if Joseph and her truly grasped seeing God in the flesh? Or if there was shock and awe and it hit them later? Hence the pondering in her response. 

Honestly, I sometimes wish I could see God face to face or experience his cloud (Moses) near me and speaking as I listen. I wonder how I would really behave? I can only speculate how I think I would be.

Yet, my hope is that I would respond just as Mary and be curious ("How will this be."), but say, "I am [your] servant, may your word to me be fulfilled." -Luke 1:34,38 NIV

Lord, I am your servant, may your word to me be fulfilled. Thy will be done.

God was in the details...A Different Christmas Story #3

I love details. Isn't that what can make a piece of writing come alive? A story more entertaining?

Today is all about details. Very important ones. I am continuing my mini-series...it is coming out of intentionally studying the events, the people, and the details surrounding the birth of Jesus. Just food for thought as the cliche goes...

A detailed-oriented future?

Matthew 1:22-23; 2:3-6,13-23 

Tradition, religion can come on thick. The law too. Faithful ones Pharisee or not followed the law wholeheartedly. The oral stories from generation to generation were not folklore to these folks. So if something was passed down you believed, you hoped and you waited.

 (Mind you, this is my opinion of an ancient people, the Israelites based on my limited understanding from studying scripture).

So even years and years later, the Israelites longed for the Messiah, the Savior spoken of in the prophecies. Down to the specifics kind of prophecy. No hokey-pokey pretend fortune tellers or palm readers kind of prophecy. 

And...it happened. Perfectly predicted and perfectly occurring JUST as God, the God of details said it would. Matthew notes each time (I counted 5) a prophecy is filled. Detail. Micah 5:2,4. Hosea 11:1, Isaiah 6,7, 9:6-7 (personal favorite, 11, 42, 53, and Jeremiah 31:15 all speak of very precise description of how, when, where, who, and what about Jesus. It is so amazing. 

I had to read and reread and it just goes deep. 

When we moved from Fort Collins to Grand Junction, God was in the details. He planned it so perfectly that we sold our home in a miraculous, unheard of fashion...in under two months. We also bought a home at the same time! We even found a home in less than 10 minutes of hubby's new teaching job.  Somehow we came out not owing anything. Clean breaks...because I was forced to quit my job and stay home as God had called me to almost a year ago before the move.

The details? Almost a year and a half later...hubby loves his job. The town is growing on us. We are connected to a church. We still like our neighborhood and home, I like staying home, I feel closer to my children, I coordinate a small group which requires being in front of people and speaking (not my strongest skill) and yet, I have gotten to where I don't feel nervous. I am better at it which is important since my dream is to teach and speak to groups of women.

Before Jesus ever came to be...God wrote history because he knew we would need it. We serve a God who cares to show us that He has it all covered, down to every detail.

Linking up today with:
 www.findingheaventoday.com

Jesus Had Two Dads? : A Different Christmas Story #2

Today, I am continuing a short series this month on the events surrounding Jesus' birth. My hope is that we all see how "living" and amazing God's word is as we learn new truths about our wonderful Savior.  

 Who's your Daddy?

Luke 2:1-4; Matthew 1:18-25; 2:13-23

 

There is always an emphasis on Mary, Jesus' mother this time of year, but every Christmas I ponder why so little is mentioned about Joseph, Jesus' earthly father. After all, he was a great-grandson (times many) to Abraham and King David...a direct lineage that carried all the way to Jesus.

Joseph was from Bethlehem, Jesus' birthplace and did you know that David was born in Bethlehem too? So why does he seem to practically disappear after Jesus begins his ministry? Jesus' brothers and mother are mentioned later on, but I searched for more on Joseph, even a mention of his death and never found it.

Yet, Joseph needs to be given more credit...by us I mean. He was an amazing man, husband, and father. How?  

Well think about this...

 Joseph, a young man at the time was to marry a virgin(Mary). A virgin who suddenly showed up pregnant! Babies out of wedlock meant public disgrace and family shunning.  Joseph could have been revengeful and ugly, but he chose to quietly divorce Mary. Did you catch that? He chose to not be cruel or show his anger or hurt outwardly. He was willing to drop pride for the sake of Mary's feelings.  
He also was said to be faithful to the law and so it could be assumed that he was a good citizen/man as well. Later, Joseph also adheres to Caesar Augustus's decision to hold a census of the entire Roman world and then he upheld the purification rites required by the law of Moses and presented Jesus to the Lord.
     Then, in a dream, one of God's angels explained Mary's pregnancy and tells Joseph to not be afraid to take Mary as his wife. He is then told as Mary was that the child's name is to be Jesus because he will save people from their sins. Joseph was a great believer too. He was obedient to God's plans. And each time an angel told him what to do, he listened!

Joseph not only took Mary as his wife and tried to provide a comfortable place to birth a baby (there was no room in the Inn), but he accepted a son that was not his. He raised him in the law and it can be assumed that Joseph contributed somewhat to Jesus growing in wisdom, stature and in finding favor with God and man. Luke 2:52
Sure, Jesus was without sin and is God, but he didn't grow into a human heathen or brat. His parents must of instilled human morals and values. 

I am still unclear on why Joseph is not mentioned later in scripture. Perhaps, he did pass away. Perhaps, his role in Jesus' life later on was not essential to Jesus' purpose/ministry. Only the Lord himself really knows and it will be one of those questions I ask in Heaven.

BUT...

God thought of everything and Jesus essentially had two dads.  An earthly one that fulfilled prophecy and our Heavenly Father whom sent us the best Christmas gift: Immanuel, Jesus...the one whom saved (us) the world from itself.