Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. - Matthew 1:18 KJV
What was it like for you when you found her that way?
We know the story, so it’s hard to see the situation through Joseph’s eyes.
What must it have been like to see her that first time? Was she starting to look different? Was her belly growing? Was her face glowing? Why was the smell of baked fish all of a sudden making her sick?
Doesn’t she like the smell of baked fish?
It would be different if all of this was happening in the typical way. But it wasn’t. At least not for Joseph. They had never been together. What is the deal? She must have been with someone. She must be hiding something.
She’s not hiding. She’s been found.
What must it have been like to find her this way?
In his righteousness, Joseph was going to quietly part ways with her. According to the law he could have called her out to be disciplined. But of course, that would bring disgrace. Disgrace to her name. Disgrace to her family. Disgrace to her future. But according to Matthew, he wasn’t going to do that. He loved her too much to drag her through that.
But still, he found her pregnant.
And finding her that way he went to sleep. He went to bed and his head hit the pillow.
Can we just stop right there? Before we join them on the journey to Bethlehem? Before we visit the shepherds? Before we kneel at the manger? Can we just go to sleep with Joseph?
What kind of faith must one have to face this level of uncertainty and not only go to bed with the resolve of righteousness but a willingness to dream of what God might be doing?
I think in one way or another Matthew is trying to draw us into a way of finding.
Notice the faith of this man whose righteousness rests in contentment. He has found his wife to be pregnant and yet he is willing to rest. Resting enough to dream and dreaming enough to see. What does he discover? Among many things he has found that even though she was found to be pregnant, she is worth finding.
Some of us don’t know what to do with Mary. Some of us, because of our faith traditions have avoided her so that we might not be confused with other faith traditions.
This is a shame — because she needs to be found. Her questions are worth asking. Her “yes” is worth echoing. Her words are worth praying and her prayers are worth seeking.
Will you, like Joseph, bother to find her? Find her and the child she carries like the treasure that you’ve been longing for?
Maybe on this night you are going to sleep uncertain. Maybe you are going to bed confused about all this. Maybe, on this Christmas Eve, instead of anticipation or celebration it is a night filled with confusion.
What do you do with the Virgin that you have found to be pregnant?
Maybe you don’t know how to find her. She, along with the God inside her may be more than you can deal with right now. That’s ok. God is too good, too patient and too everlasting.
You don’t have to decide today. You can go to sleep.
It might be that the most important thing you do this Christmas Eve is dream with Joseph.
I believe Christmas reminds us that all things are possible. I believe that God is able. I believe that He is so good that you can rest even though you are uncertain about what you’ve found.
I also believe that if you go to bed willing to dream with this young father in waiting — that the Everlasting Father will find you in His own waiting.
And when He does, you will be free to find joy in the name that Joseph gives Him.
Ask Mary. Ask Joseph. God may not come as you expected or even as you wanted but He will come exactly as you need.
He is, and always will be, the Coming One. His mother is Mary and His name is Jesus.