It's my favorite time of year, with the sparkle and anticipation of celebrating Christ's arrival on earth, together with friends and family.
I love all of the hymns! They make me think fully on Christ, His unconditional love and freedom to mankind He has given. Only one King came down, broke the slaves chains, and taught us to love one another. That is Christ Jesus my Lord!
Then, there are the songs that contemplate the position of Mary and Joseph. What did they think when they heard the news? They understood there would be rejection, criticism, misunderstanding and dirty looks through their entire lives.
"I am waiting in a silent prayer. I am frightened by the load I bear. In a world as cold as stone, must I walk this path alone? Be with me now, be with me now. Breath of Heaven, hold me together...Do you wonder, as you watch my face, if a wiser one should have had my place? But I offer all I am for the mercy of Your plan. Help me be strong, help me be, help me. Breath of Heaven, hold me together. Be forever near me, Breath of Heaven. Breath of Heaven, lighten my darkness, pour over me Your holiness, for You are holy."
She had been so overjoyed to hear her cousin Elizabeth's greeting. " When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!” (Luke 1:41-45)
And Mary said:
"My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestors." (Luke 46-56)
I can't imagine being in Joseph's shoes either.
"His mother Mary was pledged to be
married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be
pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream
and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as
your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:18-21)To wake up from that dream after making his decision, which he carefully assessed beforehand, would be (to put it in less than adequate words) mind blowing, but "He did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife" (Vs 24). He submitted himself and found peace from this confirmation.
So he takes his new pregnant wife to Bethlehem to register, as commanded by Caesar. There, she gives birth to the King of the world!
"How could it be this baby in my arms, sleeping now, so peacefully, the Son of God, the angel said. How could it be? Lord, I know He's not my own. Not of my flesh, not of my bone. Still Father let this baby be the son of my love. Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours. How can a man be father to the Son of God? Lord for all my life I've been a simple carpenter. How can I raise a king, how can I raise a king? He looks so small, His face and hands so fair, and when He cries the sun just seems to disappear, but when He laughs it shines again. How could it be?Father show me where I fit into this plan of yours." (Joseph's Song, Michael Card)
Shepherds arrive, telling everyone about what the angels told them regarding all these things. It must have been so encouraging (albeit a little strange) to both Mary and Joseph.
"They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told." (Luke 2:16-20)
After eight days, they take Jesus to the temple and they meet a man named Simeon.
"Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him" (Luke 2:28-33)
Then kings from afar come to their home to worship, give gifts, and glorify God.
"The star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh." (Matthew 2:9-11)
What a testimony of God's faithfulness and encouragement to Mary and Joseph! Instead of the solemn weight of having Jesus as their son, it was a blessing, and all because God was glorified through the birth of His Son, Jesus Christ. I'm sure they wouldn't have wanted it any other way.
I love The Nativity film, because it portrays so much of what I have described here. It also shows the humbleness of Mary and the submission of Joseph to the Spirit of the Almighty God. Seeing Mary and Joseph learn to love through this event is beautiful to behold. The underlying hymns tie everything together!
These things make me ask myself: "What if I had been Mary, chosen by God? Would I have been so tender to the will of God?" In all reality, I probably wouldn't have been. I would have sorrowed for my estate of rejection and misunderstanding. If I had been Joseph, I would have stood on principle and turned away, not believing the impossible. Yet both Mary and Joseph both rested in the peace that passes understanding because they knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this was God's will. They accepted it fully.
O that I could be like them! I praise God for each day new day He gives to me to learn such tenderness to His Spirit. There is hope of achieving this through Christ and I am so grateful for that! "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" -Matthew 6:33
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