Joseph was engaged to Mary when she told Joseph she was pregnant. Her “found to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit” explanation didn’t work for Joseph or surely his parents. I can only imagine how Mary might have broken the news to her parents. Equally, I can only imagine how Joseph broke the news to his parents.
Being an honorable man, Joseph made a decision to quietly end the relationship with this sweet, young woman. I try to imagine his confusion and disappointment.
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I have seen some, well, really corny reveal parties (largely on utube) to announce the sex of the baby.
But after Joseph determined to quietly end his engagement to Mary, the most dramatic reveal party in history happened. An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying:
“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. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[g] (which means “God with us”).
24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Matthew 1:20-25 (NIV)
Joseph lived at one of the pivot points of history. He had the courage to meet the moment. And now try to imagine Mary and Joseph’s parents talking with each other as Mary’s body changed, and grew, as she carried in her womb her precious child: “Immanuel, God with us.”
Luke says Mary deeply pondered her decision to say “Yes,” to the angel Gabriel, treasuring all of Gabriel’s words in her heart.
Often I look at my granddaughters (Malin, Britton and Falyn) with wonder, asking, “Where did these beautiful, precious little munchkins come from? Who will they grow to become?”
Don’t you just know that Mary’s and Joseph’s parents were overwhelmed with confusion and wonder, deeply pondering the utter mystery of it all? And even quite fearful of what it might mean? Remember, they had but a tiny part of the whole story. No wonder the angelic messengers kept saying, “Do not be afraid.”
Indeed, the Word did become flesh. And as Eugene Peterson renders John 1:14 in The Message, he “moved into the neighborhood.”
For unto us, a child is born!
The Apostle Paul got it right when he wrote to the church in Corinth:
However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him. I Corinthians 2:9
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