A Thought On Christmas

A Thought On Christmas

In many homes at Christmas you will find a Manger scene (Crèche) equipped with Baby Jesus, Angels, Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, Wise men, Camels and I’ve even seen some with cows, though I’m pretty sure that shepherds and cows don’t go together. And for the time being let’s forget that all these people (and heavenly host) weren’t actually together at the same time, there seems to be the thought surrounding this extraordinary event, that all was calm, all was bright. I’ve even heard some say that the stable where Jesus was born was actually better than the Inn (where there was no room), because it was cleaner and God was taking care of everyone by making things a little nicer.
I on the other hand read the story a little different, call me jaded or Scrooge, but I’ve been in a stable and that’s usually not water all over the ground and it seems like a substantial downgrade from the Inn if you were to ask me.

Which brings me to my Christmas thought. If we weigh how much God cares for us by our comfort, then what do you do with this story? Take a look at Joseph for example, first off there is the event itself, Mary’s pregnant but it’s not his! God provides an intense dream that helps to guide his decision not to shame her and no doubt Mary’s character helps with that decision as well, but suddenly Joseph is involved with something bigger than he could ever have imagined. I would guess that the counsel he was getting from friends or family was different from what God told him to do in the dream, and what God asks of Joseph is not easier, in fact it’s harder.
Look how things continue, after Joseph has listened to God and shown extraordinary understanding, some governor wants to tax the people and so Joseph has to take his extremely pregnant “wife” 70 + miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem on a Donkey! (Yeah, imagine that road trip) And the pay off is a stable? But hold on, it’s not over, later on the wise men show up giving them gifts which I’m sure reassured Joseph that he was doing the right thing and all, but before he can even catch his breath he is warned in another dream about Herod wanting to kill the child and the message to Joseph isn’t “don’t worry, I will protect you and the child”, the message is “run for your lives to Egypt”.
I have to confess, right about now I would be thinking, “God, can You just give me a break?” Now, I’m not trying to ruin Christmas; really I just want to preserve the reality of it. Because it’s in the midst of this incredible hardship, that the hand of God is at work, though everything seems to be going wrong, God is moving, guiding and speaking to Joseph, which is an amazing thing if you think about it.
I was wondering, what if Joseph had put Mary away as he had originally thought, and did not listen to God in that dream? He still would have had to travel to Bethlehem and very well may have made it in time to find a nice room at the Inn (after all, a pregnant women can really slow you down). He may have had a nicer room, but I don’t think he would have had as nice of a view as he did in that stable, to witness the single most important event in all of human history, when God became flesh, and walked among us.

So here is my take on the “Christmas” story, even though the whole world seemed to be bent on keeping this event from taking place, God was at work, in the lives of those involved, moving heaven and earth, so He could be with us.

…and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’” ( Matthew 1:23)