In her time, in her society, pregnancy outside of marriage was not acceptable. It caused more than curious glances and shoulder shrugs by passersby.
It was a crime punishable by death.
And yet this was the way He chose to reach out to humanity.
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He was a hard worker. A faithful man, and yet it appeared his betrothed had not been.
His dreams for a future and a family, crushed beneath the weight of an unexpected baby.
But a Rescuer, expected and anticipated by all of fallen creation.
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As beautiful and serene as we try to paint the Nativity, it wasn't. There was sweat and blood pooling around Mary as she pushed her Savior into the world. He didn't land in a confident midwife's arms, but in the outstretched, calloused hands of plain, hardworking Joseph-- the only one there to catch the baby, who would one day stretch out His own arms to save broken humanity.
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God didn't send the angelic choir to give the news to the most important people of the day-- most of us would have invited the governor, the senators, the city councilmen, the temple priests, the doctors and lawyers-- instead He chose to tell a rag tag group of shepherds. Men without beauty or wealth or fame. The most ordinary of ordinary.
And He sends us a message with His message-- there is no one lowly or unworthy for this baby Savior... Come see! Come believe! Come be saved! Come all! Come seek the baby Savior!
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A King for all mankind, not robed in purple, but swaddled in plain cloth.
A Savior for the people, not hailed by the masses, but adored by dirty shepherds in a dingy stable.
It's a story riddled with scandal. If we hadn't have heard it so many times before, it might surprise us-- the way God chose to wrap Himself in flesh and present Himself to the world.
But as we gaze upon the baby in a wooden manger bed, and see through His story, to the hard wood of His cross etching its marks forever upon His body of flesh, we can rejoice and with the angels sing
But as we gaze upon the baby in a wooden manger bed, and see through His story, to the hard wood of His cross etching its marks forever upon His body of flesh, we can rejoice and with the angels sing
Joy to the World the Lord has come!Let earth receive her king!Let every heart prepare Him room!
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