This is the second in a series of short stories in which I take the biblical account of Christmas and weave in details as I imagine they happened. In this story I imagine what Mary may have written if she kept a diary. The Bible is inspired by God, my writing is not. I hope my additions make this story come to life personally for you.

The Christmas Story Part 2

Wednesday

I dreamed of this all my life. The matchmaker stopped by today. Mother made me leave as soon as she arrived. I want to find out what happened, but it isn’t proper for me to ask. It wasn’t a surprise she came by our home. I noticed her talking with my parents in the market. I wondered if it was just polite conversation or if it was about me. Now I’m certain.

My girlfriends and I have fun wondering what married life is like. We see bachelors and imagine being their wife. Sometimes we squeal and make faces when we see the skinny, simple-minded boy down the street or the old, fat widower. Every conversation ends the same. We dream about marrying the most handsome and strongest man in the village. Then we argue about which one of us will end up marrying him. 

The matchmaker doesn’t talk as much as she shrills. Her voice reaches you before you see her. She knows everyone, and everyone likes her. She’s a reliable source for the latest gossip. By now everyone in town is talking about her visiting us. My friends will expect all the details. I wish I had something to tell them!

Friday

As I expected, my friends told me everyone is gossiping about the matchmaker’s visit to my house. They are excited for me. I disappointed them when I said my parents didn’t tell me anything. They weren’t satisfied with that so they decided they would choose a husband for me. Our fun time turned into teasing. The focus was all on me. They were not kind as they pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of each potential suitor. I tried to laugh but was too anxious to enjoy it. As I looked at each man, I realized my dreams could turn into a nightmare.

Sunday

I’ve still had no word from my parents about a possible betrothal. Today I saw Joseph and his father building a new house in town. Both noticed me and smiled. I wonder! Maybe I’m just a silly girl. What if he were the one?

Tuesday

He is the one! I am going to marry Joseph!

This morning Mother told me Joseph was coming over to talk with Father. He and Father each had representatives who negotiated for them. They agreed! I am betrothed to Joseph.

Joseph is a kind, quiet, hard-working man. Everyone likes him and says good things about him. Today I found out he is a man of faith.

We sat together to talk. It was our first conversation. He told me he wants to have a large family with God at the center. He promised to work hard and with God’s help provide for our needs. We will live with his parents until God provides the way for him to build us a home here in Nazareth.

Thank you, God! I’m so excited. I won’t sleep much tonight.

Thursday

My friends almost knocked me over as they ran to hug me today. I can’t stop smiling! The wedding is months away, but that’s okay. Things could not be better! Thanks be to God.

Monday

I almost can’t believe I’m writing this. An amazing thing happened. An angel visited me. It’s incredible to write that, but it happened.

The Bible says angels visited people in the past, but I never expected it to happen. His name was Gabriel. One moment I was alone and the next he was there. I saw him and couldn’t move. No one was with me. I wanted to run! Then he spoke. He assured me I had nothing to fear. He said I am favored by God.

Then he told me why he was speaking with me. He said I would conceive and give birth to a son. I would call Him Jesus and He will be great and called the son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; His kingdom will never end.

God filled me with peace as he talked. It was an angel standing before me but I wasn’t afraid. My sense was that what he said was true. But I didn’t understand. How would it happen? When would it happen? I’m a virgin.

He said the Holy Spirit will come upon me and the power of the Most High will overshadow me. My child will be the Son of God.

Then I understood. God chose me to be the mother of the Messiah.

Then Gabriel told me Elizabeth, my cousin, is pregnant in her old age. That surprised me! “For no word from God will ever fail,” he said. That meant God was keeping His word to send the Messiah, through me.

This is an honor. “I am the Lord’s servant. Fulfill your word in me,” I said.

Then he left. What do I do now? God, please help me.

Monday

I can’t put the visit from Gabriel out of my mind. My entire world has changed but I’m the only one who knows it! Everyone keeps asking me what’s wrong. I wish I could say, “Nothing’s wrong except an angel visited me and told me I will be the mother of the Messiah even though I’m still a virgin.”

I want to talk to someone, my parents, my friends, or Joseph, but I can’t. Everyone will think I dreamed it up. There’s one person I can tell, Elizabeth. I will visit her. My brother will accompany me. We leave tomorrow.

Friday

We arrived at Elizabeth and Zechariah’s last night. It took three days, but I don’t remember the journey. Every waking moment I contemplated how to tell Elizabeth. I ate little, slept little and said even less. My brother stopped asking what was wrong when all I did was smile weakly and shrug. It’s hard to keep a secret from those I love!

My worry was for nothing. I didn’t have to tell Elizabeth.

I walked in and called out her name. The Holy Spirit filled her at that moment. I froze as she said in a loud voice, “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? 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 the Lord would fulfill His promises to her!”

Then the Holy Spirit filled me, and I responded, “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.”

She was just as surprised as I was when I said that. We hugged and cried tears of joy, and for me, relief. I was with someone who understood what was happening.

We spent the rest of the day telling our stories. She said Zechariah saw an angel when serving in the temple. The angel told him they would have a son. Zechariah doubted his word. The angel told him because of his lack of faith, he wouldn’t be able to speak until the boy was born. She is in her sixth month, so it will be a while before Zechariah can tell them everything that happened. Her son is to prepare the way for my son.

I told her about Gabriel’s visit. I shared that each day I thank God for this privilege. But I struggle as I try to imagine the future. It isn’t clear. I want it to be! I asked her how do I share this with Joseph? She said this is from God. God will give me favor with Joseph. She’s right.

Monday

These past few days have been a delight. I’m sleeping well and I have my appetite back. Elizabeth has been a great encouragement. We’ve shared our hopes, dreams, and fears for the days ahead. We’ve talked about the promises from God’s word about the Messiah. She knows the Bible well. It’s exciting to read about the Messiah and imagine Him being my son. It doesn’t seem real.

I will stay for a few months. Elizabeth can use my help around the house. I can use her help in preparing for when I tell Joseph.

Wednesday

Elizabeth will soon give birth to her son. It’s time for me to return home. The past three months have flown by. I’m in my fourth month and am showing I am with child. It isn’t too obvious when I wear loose clothing. I won’t be able to hide it for long. We leave tomorrow morning. I’m ready. I need to tell Joseph.

Friday

I’m home. So far no one has noticed I am pregnant. Everyone wanted the latest news about Zechariah and Elizabeth. I was more than happy to give it to them. Joseph stopped by to see me. There were too many people around for us to talk privately. We arranged a time to talk. Lord give me wisdom and help Joseph understand.

Monday

My conversation with Joseph didn’t end well.

It started great. When I saw him and he greeted me it seemed my heart would burst. Would he still be smiling after I told him everything?

He asked about my trip. My mind went blank. I paused. What should I say? Everything! How do I start? I hoped and prayed he would understand.

He looked puzzled as I took a deep breath and began. My voice quivered. I said, “Four months ago I was visited by the angel Gabriel.” His puzzlement turned to surprise.

Then I explained every word and every detail. When I said, “The angel told me I would become pregnant with a son, God’s Messiah,” Joseph looked away. Was he embarrassed or angry?

Quickly I continued. “But I’m a virgin,” I told Gabriel. “How was that possible?”

“The Holy Spirit would come upon me,” he said.

I told Joseph I wanted to tell him then, but I feared he wouldn’t believe me. Since the angel explained about Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy, I concluded she would be the best person to talk with first. And she was! That was why I visited her. I described how she greeted me when I walked in the door and my spirit-filled response to her. Next I told him the details about how Elizabeth told me Gabriel visited Zachariah to tell him they would have a son in their old age and that their son would be the forerunner for the Messiah.

Finally, I whispered, “It happened, Joseph, I’m pregnant.”

He stood without looking at me, turned and walked away. What do I do now?

Monday

It’s been a week. Not a word from Joseph. I spend my time alone, crying and praying. Mother keeps asking what’s wrong, but I can’t talk to her, not yet. God, please help me.

Tuesday

Joseph came by today. The moment our eyes met I saw everything was okay.

He said at first he didn’t accept my story. No virgin has ever become pregnant. Joseph assumed I betrayed him. But he didn’t want to shame me. When he considered his options, he decided not to tell anyone or seek counsel because he was so ashamed.

It hurt me to hear how he felt. He saw my reaction and said, “Don’t be upset. It’s okay, let me finish.”

He continued. Even though he didn’t want to do it, he decided to divorce me. Before he could do so an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel 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.”

Then he asked me to forgive him for not believing me. My heart melted. The visit by the angel confirmed God chose me to be the mother of the Messiah. He is humbled God has also honored him with this privilege. He knows the next few months will be hard but he’s sure God will help us.

Thank you, Father, for blessing me with a husband who loves and trusts you. Thank you I no longer have to go through this alone. Thank You for this child.

The post Mary’s Diary appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

This is a series of short stories in which I take the biblical story of Christmas and weave in details as I imagine they happened. The Bible is inspired by God, my writing is not. I hope my additions make this story come to life personally for you.

The Christmas Story Part 1

“I’m praying for you, for us,” Elizabeth said.

“And I for you,” Zechariah said lifting his bag.

“And for us, will you pray for us? You still have hope, don’t you?” Elizabeth asked.

Zechariah winced. Their eyes met. “We’ve talked of this so many times. Your faith is greater than mine but I still have hope. Our God is faithful, I will pray for us.”

The sun peeked over the horizon. “It’s time, I will make it to Jerusalem before sunset, God willing.”

Elizabeth smiled and waved.

Zechariah proceeded with a practiced pace from making this journey dozens of times. He would be tired when he arrived, but he didn’t mind. He was going to do what he loved, serve at the temple.

Life was good for him and Elizabeth. God always provided. There was one thing. They wished they had children. They wished they had a child. Elizabeth’s hope never wavered. His did and when it did her faith propped him up. They prayed that as God opened the wombs of Sarah, Rachel and Hannah he would open Elizabeth’s womb and give them a child. If God wished. So far, He had not wished. There was some disappointment, but not bitterness. Zechariah was getting good at beating back the doubt. He wished he were better at believing. He loved Elizabeth. He would pray.

Each day in Jerusalem started early for the priests. The chief priest assigned them all duties. There was one duty everyone wanted, to go into the Holy Place and offer incense to the Lord. Only two priests did this each day. It was such a privilege that a priest only did it once. There were hundreds of priests available, so they cast lots to determine who got to do it. Many never did it. Zechariah had never done it.

The room echoed with muffled conversations. Friends shared small-talk as they waited for assignments. Every time they gathered, Zechariah felt a child-like excitement hoping he would get to offer incense to the Lord that day.

They started. A hush settled over the room. First, they assigned a priest to care for the temple lamps. Another to provide the shewbread. Next a priest was assigned to receive the free-will offerings. On it went. Various duties assigned name by name. They didn’t call Zechariah’s name.

They saved the most desirable duties, those that took place inside the temple, for last. They called a priest to prepare the incense. They called a priest to remove the ashes from the inner altar. They selected a priest to handle the ashes from the candlestick. Zechariah wait but didn’t hear his name.

Finally, they would choose two priests to offer incense, one for the morning and one for the evening. Everyone stood motionless. Some held their breath. The only thing Zechariah could hear was his heartbeat.

Zachariah closed his eyes and prayed as he had many times. “Holy God, look upon me with favor and give me the privilege of serving in this duty as a gracious gift.” They read the name for the morning sacrifice. It wasn’t his. They drew the last name.

“Zechariah.”

It happened! He would burn the incense before the altar in the Holy place! Thanks be to God!

He wished Elizabeth were in Jerusalem! He would run and tell her this wonderful news. Friends surrounded him, congratulated him. He was grateful, excited, and anxious for this privilege. He wanted to do it right. What a special day!

He and the priest who would offer the morning incense began to prepare. Priests who assisted the High priest taught them what to do. They described each step, every detail. He absorbed the instructions. He visualized what he would do. He practiced over and over. With God’s help, he would make no mistakes.

It was time for the morning sacrifice. They went to the temple. He joined the crowd outside the temple. He watched as the priest leading them did everything in order. He entered the holy place.

Those gathered outside the temple offered prayers to God. Zechariah’s visualized what the priest was doing at that moment. Then, when he expected, the priest stepped out.

He stood before the people and said, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

And all the people said, “Amen!”

Zechariah sighed and relaxed. He hadn’t realized how anxious he had been for his fellow priest. He had done well. Zechariah returned to his room. He spent the day rehearsing, fasting, praying, worshiping and waiting.

Hours later someone knocked on his door. It was time. He returned to the temple and put on the priestly garments. He did everything as instructed. He received the incense. He entered the holy place. It was more beautiful than he imagined. He placed the incense on the altar and watched as the smoke ascended like the prayers of the saints. He heard the people praying. He asked God to hear their prayers.

He was ready to leave when he remembered Elizabeth’s words. “And for us, will you pray for us?”

He told her he would pray. So, he did. “Lord, if it be your will, look upon me and my wife with favor and give us a son.”

11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” Luke 1:11-20

The angel disappeared. Zechariah didn’t move. Did that happen? He looked around. He was alone. Had he seen a vision? Was it his imagination? Did he see the angel Gabriel?

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. Luke 1:21

He left the Holy place. The next thing was to pray God’s blessing.

When he came out, he could not speak to them. Luke 1:22

He tried to pray, but no words came out. It was as Gabriel said. He didn’t imagine it!

The people realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.

Priests huddled around him and peppered him with questions. He wanted to answer but he couldn’t.

He was back in his room. He didn’t remember changing out of his priestly garments or walking there. His mind raced. He saw Gabriel. They would have a son. He would be great, a forerunner to the Messiah! He laid awake most of the night. Praise God.

He served the rest of his time as he normally did. Many asked him questions that he wanted to answer but he couldn’t. Everyone would know in time.

When his time of service was completed, he returned home. Luke 1:23

What he would tell Elizabeth? Actually, he couldn’t tell her anything. Maybe that didn’t matter. They had been married so long she often knew what he was thinking! How did women do that?

It would be a guessing game, like with the priests.

Elizabeth met him, waving and smiling just like when he left. They hugged. “How are you? How was your time of service?” she asked.

He pointed to his throat and mouthed the words, “I can’t talk.”

Alarmed she said, “Are you sick? Sit down. I’ll get something to sooth your throat.”

He stopped her, shaking his head.

“What? What’s going on?”

He again pointed to his throat.

“I know your throat is bothering you. What’s wrong?” she implored.

Zechariah signed. It would be a long nine months. He again mouthed the words, “I can’t talk.”

“Oh, right, you can’t tell me. You can’t talk. Otherwise do you feel okay?” she asked?

He nodded.

“Okay, was it a good trip otherwise?” she asked.

Again, he nodded.

“Fine,” she said. “You get unpacked. I know you’re tired and hungry. Since you can’t talk, I’ll tell you what happened when you were away.”

Over the next few days, Elizabeth and her friends tried every remedy they could imagine for his voice. Zechariah endured them all. He also listened more than ever in his life.

Day and weeks passed. One day Elizabeth came and sat beside him. She looked and him but said nothing.

His eyes widened expecting her to say something.

She smiled. “Zechariah, I have to tell you something.”

Her smile made him smile. He leaned and turned his ear toward her.

He didn’t intend for her to come close, but she did. “I’m pregnant,” she whispered in his ear.

He leaned back. Their eyes locked. He mouthed, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.”

Their smiles gave way to an embrace which gave way to tears of joy.

Then she pulled back, hands on his shoulders at arm’s length. “Did losing your voice have anything to do with this?”

He shrugged.

“Zechariah!?” she asked again.

He nodded.

“Will you be able to speak again?”

He nodded.

She sighed. “Then I will wait to hear the rest of the story. Now let us give thanks to the Lord, he has heard our prayers!”

After this Elizabeth remained in seclusion [for five months].

25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.” Luke 1:24-25

Little by little Elizabeth pieced together what happened. God confirmed this during a visit by her cousin Mary. That’s a story for another time.

57 When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, 60 but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

62 Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63 He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66 Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.  Luke 1:57-65

Zechariah’s Song

His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

68 “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David 70 (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago), 71 salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us 72 to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, 77 to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven 79 to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” 80 And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. Luke 1:67-80

The post Zechariah and Elizabeth appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

Mary’s Christmas Story

I need to sleep, but I can’t. It’s quiet now. Joseph is out getting more fuel for the fire. Jesus is sleeping peacefully beside me. I’m exhausted but I don’t want to sleep. So many wonderful things have happened today, I want to soak it all in. I don’t want this moment to end.

I didn’t feel this way two days ago. When Joseph and I arrived in Bethlehem, all I wanted was for this pregnancy to be over. The six-day journey from Nazareth wasn’t bad, as journeys go. We were fortunate that a kind traveler in our caravan offered to let me ride on his donkey. It was better than walking, but there really isn’t anything enjoyable about riding a donkey 12 hours a day. Each step was a jostling reminder that the new life within me would soon want out.

I didn’t know what to expect in Bethlehem. Would things be different? From the moment Gabriel visited me 9 months ago, little in my life has gone as expected.

I was engaged to Joseph, and dreamed we’d have a perfect wedding and then begin our family. That all changed when God chose me to be the mother of our Lord. Every Jewish girl dreams about being the mother of the Messiah. But who thought it meant a miraculous pregnancy?

Gabriel said my cousin Elizabeth was also pregnant because of God’s blessing so I went to see her right away. She was such an encouragement. God’s Spirit told her about my supernatural pregnancy so I didn’t have to hide anything. We laughed and cried, shared our hopes and dreams and also our fears. She helped me find the strength of God to face the coming months. And I would need it.

I returned from my visit with Elizabeth and immediately told Joseph everything. I could see the hurt in his eyes, that he didn’t believe me. Who could blame him? In all the history of humanity, who has ever gotten pregnant without having sexual relations? Joseph stood, turned away and paused. Then he tearfully said that he was going to divorce me. He would do it quietly to try not to shame me.

He left me heartbroken. I expected him to believe me. He had to believe me! If Joseph didn’t believe me, who would? I prayed, crying myself to sleep asking God to change Joseph’s mind.

I didn’t expect to see Joseph again, but I did. He came to see me early the next morning. He had a dream and an angel told him that everything I said was true. Tenderly he said, “I believe you Mary. I won’t divorce you. We’re in this together.” Oh how I love Joseph!

Since then he has been so kind and tender. We’ve talked for hours about this. We’re both thrilled and afraid. It’s wonderful to think about being the parents of the Messiah, but we really don’t know what to expect.

We were married and it was a joyous day. But there’s something about being pregnant when you get married that makes it less than perfect. The wedding was beautiful but Joseph and I have not yet consummated our marriage.

We expected the baby would be born in Nazareth, where my family would be there to help. That didn’t work out. The Romans ordered a census, so we had to travel to Bethlehem to register for it. We delayed our trip as long as possible, hoping the baby would come first, but he didn’t. Then our prayers were that we would make it to Bethlehem before he was born.

The first challenge was to find a place to stay. So many people had come to register for the census that everywhere we looked was full. Finally, a family had pity on us, seeing that I was with child, and let us stay in their barn. It wasn’t ideal, but it was an enclosed room and the heat from the animals would keep us warm. We’re used to bringing our animals inside at night, so it wasn’t a problem.

Joseph immediately went to work and fashioned a bed for us. Ladies, if you don’t have a husband yet, I recommend marrying a carpenter. We got settled in and almost immediately I started having contractions. I’ve been with friends when they had babies, so I knew it was time. We didn’t have any relatives in Bethlehem so Joseph found a midwife who would help.

When she arrived you would have thought the whole town came with her! She shuffled in with enough helpers to deliver 10 babies! There were even more people outside, peering in. The solitude of the barn gave way to joyful bustling and conversation. I struggled with contractions but couldn’t help smile as I felt joy surround me! Who isn’t happy to hear a baby is coming?

Well, I’ll tell you who. My family and neighbors in Nazareth, that’s who. No one in Bethlehem knew us. We were just a young couple having our first baby. This was so different from what we would have experienced back home. There most people looked down on us because they thought Joseph and I slept together before we were married. Worse yet, some thought I got pregnant from someone else. Even though the truth was more wonderful than anyone could ever know, the sneers and disapproving looks still hurt.

Since there are men in the room right now, I won’t share all the details of the next few hours. Ladies, see me later and we’ll talk more.

A few hours later he was born. The midwife shouted “It’s a boy! It’s a boy!” Her words echoed through the room and out into the street. “It’s a boy! It’s a boy!” Everyone cheered.

Then just as quickly a response came back, “What’s his name? What’s his name?”

The midwife, whose command of the situation equaled that of any general with his troops, said “Shh! Shh! Just wait. First, someone get Joseph,” she said.

“There’s no need. I’m here,” Joseph said.

She cleaned the baby up, wrapped him tightly with strips of cloths and handed him to me. Oh, He is the most beautiful baby boy one could ever imagine. I looked at him and softly wept tears of joy. I looked at Joseph. “Do you want to hold him?” I asked. He was tentative, but with a little help from the midwife figured out how to hold him. He looked so tiny in Joseph’s huge arms.

The midwife asked, “What’s his name?”

“It’s Jesus,” I said.

“That’s a wonderful name,” she said. “How did you come to choose it?”

“It’s a long story,” I said.

His name spread through the crowd, “His name is Jesus. The baby’s name is Jesus!” There were many congratulations then slowly the crowd went away. Finally it was just Joseph, me, Jesus and the midwife.

“You are so blessed,” she said. “Enjoy this time. From this moment on your life will never be the same,” and she left. Little did she know how right she was!

Joseph and I lay side-by-side, holding Jesus. Here he was. The miracle had happened. We gazed at him and each other and smiled, so glad to be able to enjoy this moment. Joseph picked up Jesus, who was quietly sleeping, and laid him in a manger filled with straw. He came back to bed and we dozed off to sleep.

It seemed like only a few minutes later we were startled awake because of a commotion at the door.

Someone was pounding on the door and shouting, “Is this where the new baby is? Is this where a baby boy was born this evening?”

Joseph opened the door and said, “Yes it is. Lower your voices, you’re going to wake the whole town. Who are you? What do you want?” Joseph asked.

“We’re shepherds and I know this is going to sound crazy, but we were out in the field watching our sheep and we were visited by an angel. Yes, an angel! And no we haven’t been drinking. Well, we did have a little bit to drink but not that much. The angel told us about your baby, didn’t he?” he said turning to his friends standing with him. They all nodded. “Yes, that’s right,” they all said.

“Why do you think he was talking about our baby?” Joseph asked.

“The angel said a baby was born tonight in Bethlehem. We looked all over town and yours is the only baby boy born tonight. Not only that,” he said pointing in the room at Jesus, “the angel said we would find him wrapped snugly into strips of cloth and lying in a manger. Look, there he is just as the angel said! Can we come in and see him?” he asked.

Joseph turned to me and I smiled and nodded yes. They came in and surrounded the manger. They smiled, jostled each other and said, “What do you know? The Lord! The Messiah!”

Joseph said, “Why do you say that? Tell us more about what happened with the angel?”

“Sure,” the shepherd said. “We were out in the fields watching our sheep when an angel appeared to us. As you can imagine we were pretty scared. The angel must’ve known because his first words were ‘Don’t be afraid!’ Then he said, ‘I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”

“Then he told us how to find you. He said, ‘and you will recognize him by this sign: you will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.’ It was incredible. Nothing like this had ever happened to any of us. Then one more thing happened. Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others-the armies of heaven-praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'”

“Then the angels disappeared just as quickly as they came. We looked at each other and said, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.'”

“That’s it. That’s what happened. We’re so excited that God chose lowly people like us, shepherds, to tell about the birth of the Savior. You folks must be really special that God chose you to be the parents of the Messiah,” he said.

They sat down and we talked a while. We told them our story, how we were chosen, too. We told them how we were both also visited by angels and how it was we came to be in Bethlehem. Soon the baby began to stir and I knew it was time to feed him. The shepherds thanked us for letting them see the baby Jesus and left.

As they walked through town we could hear them shouting and praising God, “We have seen the Messiah! Praise God everyone, we have seen the Lord!”

The past few hours have been like a whirlwind! When we left Nazareth, I thought it might be just Joseph and me in a tent when Jesus was born. I will always treasure the memory of this night. I’m glad it wasn’t what I expected.”

I hope you have enjoyed Mary’s Christmas story. I have based it upon the different parts of the Bible that talk about Christmas. There is not one place in the Bible where we are told Mary’s Christmas story so I have creatively filled in the gaps. If you would like to read the main account of the Christmas story in the Bible you can find it in Luke 2:1-20.

Merry Christmas!

The post Mary’s Christmas Story [As I Imagine She Would Tell It] appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

The Shepherds Were Surprised Messengers

Today shepherds are thought of in a positive light. The life of a shepherd is looked upon with a romantic envy by people whose lives are busy without end. Those who serve in pastoral ministry are called shepherds of the flock of God. It’s a noble calling.

It’s hard for us today to imagine how people in Jesus’ day felt about shepherds. They were despised, the lowest rung on the social ladder. Rabbis in Jesus’ day openly wondered how God could be compared to such a lowly and despicable role in Psalm 23.

Who do you think has the lowest, least desirable job in our world today? Perhaps it would be people who sort through garbage in dumps to find something of value to sell. People didn’t like and didn’t want to spend time with shepherds.

So it may have been that the shepherds were as surprised as anyone that the angel told them about Jesus’ birth. Then for Luke to tell us they were actually the first ones to be told is even more amazing!

8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. Luke 2:8-9

There were plenty of “good” people to tell. Certainly the priests and religious leaders fit into that category. There were also godly priests like Zechariah. In addition there were other faithful people looking for the coming of the Messiah. Luke 2:25-38

But the angel passed them all by on the way to the countryside near Bethlehem.

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:10-14

What God’s Choice Of the Shepherds Teaches Us

1. God doesn’t see people the way we do. 1 Samuel 16:7 The angel told the shepherds Jesus was born “unto you.” They were as important as anyone else. So are you!
2. God chooses whom He will. Romans 9:14-16 God blessed these despised men with a joyful message to change their lives. He has the exact same message for you and me.
3. God doesn’t choose the wise or strong. 1 Corinthians 1:26-27 The wise and strong don’t need anything. Do you need God today?
4. God chose well. The shepherds were the first evangelists!

15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

God showed who He values in choosing the shepherds as the first to learn of Jesus’ birth. As those who are chosen by God may we be as faithful as the shepherds in sharing the good news of Jesus!

The post Shepherds: God’s Surprise Choice To First Hear of Jesus appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

Joseph Was A Faithful Servant

We come now to Joseph in our discussion of the characters in the Christmas story. In some respects he had a difficult part in the story. He played a supporting role. He was never in the limelight.

5 Things We Know About Joseph

1. He was a carpenter, a trade he taught Jesus. Matthew 13:55, Mark 6:3
2. He was a just, righteous man. He didn’t believe Mary’s story about being miraculously pregnant. Yet, he didn’t want to put her to shame or humiliate her for being pregnant with someone else’s baby. Matthew 1:19
3. He was an obedient man. He obeyed the angel who verified Mary’s story. He also followed the direction of the angel to not return to Bethlehem. Matthew 1:24-25, 2:22
4. He was a capable man. He took care of Mary and Jesus taking them safely to Egypt until King Herod died and then to Nazareth. Matthew 2:13-23
5. He was a godly man. He kept the Law by offering the required sacrifice for a firstborn son and by going to the Passover every year in Jerusalem. Luke 2:22; 41

It is also assumed by scholars that Joseph died before Jesus did. On the cross Jesus entrusted his mother Mary to the care of John (John 19:26-27). He would not have needed to do that if Joseph were alive.

I’m amazed when I think about what God entrusted Joseph to do. God prevented Joseph and Mary from fully understanding who Jesus was when He was young (John 2:50). Yet they knew in part who He was because of what the angel said. They knew that Jesus was different from any other child or person.

[Tweet “Joseph is an example of what it is to be faithful and obedient in a supporting role.”]

God has given each of us gifts in the body of Christ. Some of us, perhaps you, have been called to serve behind the scenes. Too often those in that role don’t get thanked. Sometimes it’s worse, they’re overused and under-appreciated.

If you are a “Joseph” or “Josephine” be encouraged! Thank you for your work no one sees. Thank you for doing the things no one else wants to do but that need to be done. Thank you for taking in joy in the task and not in praise. Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your important ministry of support, for that is exactly what it is!

If you are not a “Joseph” but know one or more, take the time today to reach out and thank them for their important work in the body of Christ.

I’d love to hear from you. If you have a question or comment please leave it below.

The post Joseph A Model For All Who Serve Behind The Scenes appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

Mary Is An Example For All To Follow

Mary, of all the different characters in the Christmas story, is worth a second look. We don’t know much about many of the characters in the story. We know more about Mary than most but it’s remarkable that we don’t know more.

Nine Events Where Mary Is Mentioned In The Bible

There are several different people named Mary mentioned in the Bible. Here are nine different events where Mary, Jesus’ mother is mentioned.

1. The annunciation when the angel Gabriel told her she would be the mother of Jesus Luke 1:28.
2. Her visit with Elizabeth her relative Luke 1:41-43.
3. At Jesus’ birth, including the visit of the shepherds and Jesus’ dedication at the Temple Luke 2:1-21.
4. The visit of the wise men, going to Egypt then Nazareth Matthew 2.
5. The Passover when Jesus was left behind in Jerusalem at the Temple Luke 2:46-49.
6. At the wedding in Cana John 2:3-10.
7. When she came with Jesus’ brothers to find Jesus during his ministry Matthew 12:46.
8. At Jesus’ death on the cross John 19:25-27.
9. With the disciples In the upper room after Jesus’ ascension Acts 1:13-14.

In our last post we talked about Mary being favored by God. She was chosen because of God’s grace to her. She was just a teenager, yet even at that age she was a remarkable woman of character. It’s rare that one sees such character in one so young. We see this from just one year of her life. From the time of the annunciation by Gabriel to shortly after Jesus’ birth we see four characteristics we would all do well to emulate.

1. She was thoughtful Luke 1:29; 2:19, 51. She was not impetuous. She was a thinker, wondering, pondering, and reflecting on all that happened to her. It’s easy to imagine her calm through all of this.
2. She was obedient Luke 1:38. She could have said “No” to God. Many have. She likely understood many of the implications of her obedience and obeyed anyway.
3. She was worshipful Luke 1:46. This came from a humble heart. She saw herself as the servant of the Lord Luke 1:38. She gave all the glory for being chosen to God. She knew she would be unique among all women who ever lived. Yet her perspective was to praise God.
4. She was faithful Luke 2:22-51 She and Joseph followed the Law in Jesus’ dedication and their regular visits to Jerusalem for the Passover Luke 2:46-49.

Oh that today we might all be as thoughtful, obedient, worshipful and faithful as that teenage girl who became the mother of our Lord!

The post Mary – A Woman Of Remarkable Character appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

Mary An Unlikely Choice

We now come to Mary, the fifth character mentioned in the Christmas story. Like others in this story she seems an unlikely person for her role. She was an unlikely choice to be the mother of Jesus:

• because of where she lived. She lived in the small, insignificant village of Nazareth, not in the royal city of Jerusalem.
• because of her age. Young women were betrothed to be married as young as 12 years old. It’s just a guess but she may have been around 16 years old.
• because of her status in life. She had none. She was a common young girl.
• because she didn’t seek her role. Unlike Zechariah and Elizabeth who prayed for a son, Mary uttered no such prayers.

Yet God chose her. Think about this for a moment. She wasn’t just chosen from all of the women who were alive at the time. She was chosen from all women who ever lived! God could have chosen any woman at any time. If you’re a woman reading this He could have chosen you. That would have changed your life a little bit, don’t you think?

God’s Choice of Mary

Why did God choose Mary? It’s true she was a woman of great character. But we don’t see that character until later in her life, well after she was chosen. Here’s the reason Gabriel gave her,

And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!”

And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” Luke 1:28, 30 ESV

Gabriel told Mary she was chosen because she found favor with God! The word “favor” means to show kindness or to be gracious toward someone. God decided to give her something she didn’t ask for, the incredible privilege of being the mother of Jesus!

God didn’t give her this privilege because Mary earned it. Grace isn’t based upon what one does. God gave her this privilege out of kindness to her. That’s what the Scripture says.

Mary’s Favor And Our Favor

As I read this story I can’t help but wistfully think, “How wonderful it must have been to experience God’s favor like that!” I did a search to see if verb “found favor” is used anywhere else in the Bible. I found it in one other place.

In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ . . . to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed [favored] us in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:5-6

The word translated “blessed” is the same Greek word translated “favored” in Luke 1. God has favored you and me like he favored Mary! There could only be one mother of Jesus. God has been kind to all who believe in Jesus and favored us by adopting us into His family as His children.

So I do get to experience God’s favor after all, as His child. That’s actually pretty cool. I’m in! What about you? Spend the day today thinking about what that means and it will change your day!

The post Mary Was Favored By God [She Isn’t The Only One] appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

Gabriel is one of the reasons why the subtitle of this series isn’t the “people” of the Christmas story. Gabriel, the fourth character in the Christmas story, is an angel. People are fascinated with angels. Angels are mentioned a few times in the Christmas story.

Gabriel is one of two angels mentioned by name in the Bible. The other is Michael Daniel 10:13. He first appears in the book of Daniel (Daniel 8:16; 9:21). His role there is similar to what he does in the Christmas story. He’s a messenger from God. In fact, the primary meaning of the Greek word that is translated as “angel” is messenger.

5 Things We Know About Gabriel And Angels In General

1. There are different types of angels including cherubim Genesis 3:24, seraphim Isaiah 6:2, and archangel Jude 9. We’re not told what kind of angel Gabriel is.
2. There are good angels and bad angels 2 Peter 2:4. It’s pretty clear Gabriel is a good angel. And, since it’s Christmas, let’s only talk about the good angels today.
3. All good angels are normally unseen helpers for Christians. Even in the Bible, seeing or talking to an angel was rare. Hebrews 1:14 tells us all angels are ministering spirits. The word “minister” means to serve. How they serve isn’t explained.
4. The fact that Gabriel was seen and heard meant he had important news! In the Bible angels often appear at significant times in human history. So the presence of an angel at the beginning of the Christmas story indicates that what he had to say was important.
5. In the Bible, seeing an angel isn’t the fluffy feel-good experience that some people describe who say they’ve seen angels in our day. Daniel, (Daniel 8:17), Zechariah Luke 1:11 and Mary Luke 1:29-30 saw, were initially afraid of, and troubled by the angel Gabriel. There is something about seeing an angel that these three godly people found frightening.

Do We Have Guardian Angels?

In Matthew 18:10, when talking about children, Jesus said,

See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.

When you combine this verse with Hebrews 1:14 it’s easy to see how someone came up the idea of having a guardian angel. However, nowhere in the Bible does it say we’re assigned a personal guardian angel. For the angel’s sake I hope that’s not the case. Think about it. There are some pretty miserable people, even Christians, that no one likes to be around. Can you imagine an angel being stuck with someone like that for every moment of that person’s life?

It’s comforting and fun to think that angels are around to help us!

If you have a question or comment please leave it below.

The post Gabriel – You’re an Angel! appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

Zechariah the Priest

The second person we come to as we look at the characters of the Christmas story is Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. When he’s introduced into the story he’s not yet a father. The fact that he was going to be a father was a big surprise to him and a key element in his story. He served as a priest in Jerusalem and was married to Elizabeth.

Here’s how Luke describes them,

And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Luke 1:6-7

As you read the first sentence you can’t help but think of them as models of faith. “Righteous” and “walking blamelessly” are high praise! As you read the second sentence you can’t help but feel sorry for them. That praise seems even more significant when you realize they remained righteous and blameless while living with disappointment.

According to historians Zechariah was one of about 18,000 priests serving at the temple. It was a big place and there were many daily tasks that they did. There was, however, one special task that a different priest was called upon to do each day. It was so special that a priest did it only once in his lifetime. It was to go into the Holy Place and offer incense, a symbol of the prayers offered by the people to God. Zechariah was chosen!

It seems as if Zechariah was being blessed for his godly life. That was more true than you realize. Once inside the Holy Place Zechariah saw an angel and did what most of us would do if we saw an angel. He was afraid. He probably froze in his steps. Then the angel told him the most wonderful thing Zechariah could ever hear.

Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. Luke 1:13

How fantastic! But it gets better! The angel went on to describe how the Spirit of God would be upon him, that he would turn many people to God and he would be great.

And how did godly Zechariah respond to the angel? He must have had a brain freeze! Here he was, in the temple where very few priests ever got to go. He was talking to an angel! The angel said his and Elizabeth’s prayer would be answered! They would have a son. And the son would be a man of God. And then he said this,

How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. Luke 1:18

He took his eyes off God! He took his eyes off the promise! He looked at the problem. He was staring in the face of one who lives in the presence of God and all he could see was his problem.

The angel gave him a sign that his words would come true. He made Zechariah unable to speak any words until the boy was born.

Faith is not a one time immunization that forever protects us from doubt. It’s a muscle we must use each day. Use it or lose it. At this moment Zechariah didn’t use it. He would use it again.

[Tweet “Faith is not a one time immunization that forever protects us from doubt.”]

Let’s not be hard on Zechariah because we’re all like him at some point in our lives. What is it that you’re praying for today? Do you believe God has heard your prayers? Would you be surprised if God gave it to you? Don’t be! Don’t give up on praying.

Do you have a comment or question? Please leave it below. I’d love to hear from you.

The post Zechariah A Model Of Faith And Unbelief appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.

Thinking About Christmas

It’s December and the Christmas season is in full bloom. I love Christmas, the music, the decorations, giving and getting presents! I especially love the Christmas story. There’s so much to it and it’s a great story.

One of the things that makes the Christmas story interesting is the characters who are part of it. This year I’ve decided to take a look at each of the characters in the Christmas story. In addition to the main characters Jesus, Mary and Joseph there are many minor characters. For the next few blog posts we’re going to look at them in the order they appear in the Christmas story.

The Role King Herod Has In The Christmas Story

The Christmas story doesn’t begin with Jesus. It begins with the story of Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist. We’ll talk more about him in a few days. Luke sets the historical context of John’s story by saying “In the days of Herod, King of Judea” Luke 1:5. The first person in the Christmas story is the unlikely and unlikable King Herod.

King Herod, a descendant of Esau, wasn’t a Jew by birth although his family converted to Judaism before he was born. He was a master politician. After his father died he secured an appointment from Rome to be the ruler of Judea in his father’s place. It was the Romans who gave him the title King of Judea. He held that position from approximately 37 BC to 4 BC. Much has been written about his accomplishments and his cruel and vindictive dealings with his family.

The next time in the Christmas story King Herod is mentioned is when the wise men arrive Matthew 2:1-23. Their search to find the one born to be the king of the Jews led them to King Herod. He learned from them when the boy was born. It was some time in the previous two years. Then with the help of the chief priests and scribes he determined Bethlehem was where the Bible said the king would be born. He told the wise men and directed them to return and tell him when they found the child. When they didn’t return he was furious. He attempted to eliminate this threat to his throne by having all the boys in Bethlehem under two years old killed. Joseph was warned by an angel that Herod would do this and safely escaped to Egypt with Mary and Jesus.

Some Thoughts About King Herod and Christmas

• Jesus became a man out of love for a world that didn’t want Him. Nothing has changed with Jesus or the world.
• No human leader, no matter how powerful, can thwart the plan of God.
• Like Joseph and Mary, whatever the task God has called you to do, no matter how wonderful, will involve hardship.

Please pray each day of this Christmas season for someone in your life who is far from God. Pray that God would show that person how much He loves them and wants to have a relationship with them through Jesus!

Do you have a comment or question? If so please leave it below. I’d love to hear from you!

The post King Herod An Unlikely And Unlikable Character In The Christmas Story appeared first on To Every Nation Ministries.