Christmas surprises!

Christmas is all about ….SURPRISE!!!!! From the moment we begin the Christmas shopping season, we are all looking to buy our loved ones something that will surprise them…something that catches them totally off-guard. So, on Christmas morning, when they tear away the ribbons, bows and wrapping paper and they look inside the box….they will be surprised…. And our joy will come when we see that look of surprise on the face we love.

There is one member of the cast of Christmas who is the poster boy for SURPRISE…and his name is Joseph. A young man; son of David and a carpenter by trade, he had been engaged to a lovely young maiden for probably about a year. The wedding day is drawing near when Joseph finds out that his bethrothed is with child …Surprise! And he knows that he is not the father; he knows that the marriage has not been consummated. But, he is a fair and just young man and does not wish to cause Mary any additional embarrassment….so he resolves to divorce her in a quiet manner. But as he is considering his options, scriptures says, “behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “ Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Matthew 1:20-21

SURPRISE….SURPRISE …..SURPRISE!!!!!

Joseph was going to be a father and his son was the Son of God. I don’t know about you, but that would have taken my breath away ….permanently. But not Joseph; he dealt with this monumental surprise in a clear and concise way. “When Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded; he took Mary his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.” Matthew 1:24-25

What can one learn from this young man of Galilee? Well, on the surface, we might discern that Joseph is a minor character in the life and story of Jesus; but, a closer inspection reveals that Joseph was a man of deep convictions and integrity. He could have done the “right thing” and simply divorced Mary and started over in his search for the perfect wife…or he could have ignored the dream as just a bad case of indigestion.

But He did neither; rather he did as commanded….and in spite of the ridicule and public shame that would be his…He loved and nurtured the surprise that was Jesus. He took lemons and made lemonade!

How ‘bout you this Christmas? Is there some “surprise” just lurking around the corner that will upset the delicate balance of your life? Will you let a “surprise” rob you of your joy this Christmas or will you, as Joseph did, step up and step out in faith to answer God’s call.

It might require a trip to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen ….a night of vigilance and prayer in the emergency room …a visit to a bereaved friend or someone in the throes of a deep depression…..not every SURPRISE is a pleasant one!

God may be waiting to see how you handle surprises….both good and bad. Why not be like Joseph and accept the challenge to serve the Lord this Christmas season…and all year through? Remember, Joseph took Mary and the child and it changed his life forever.


May your surprises be a blessing this Christmas,
WPQ