Something is Missing

July is coming to a close and something is missing. By now, a friend on social media usually posts that Christmas is less than six months away. And no one has. This announcement would have stirred thoughts of decorating the house, baking sweet treats, and managing traffic and crowds while shopping for gifts. Midsummer upon us and my desire  to make sure I do enough at Christmas begins to overshadow the gift itself.

Hope.

But let’s start from the beginning of the story, at least the beginning of the New Testament story. Joseph found out Mary, his fiance was pregnant with a child he had no part in creating. They were betrothed, and in biblical times, this was beyond our modern promise to marry. It was a legally binding agreement that they would become husband and wife.

Joseph was considered a just man. His intention was to legally break the engagement off from Mary without bringing public shame upon her.

Can you imagine?

The passion that is created knowing who you will spend the rest of your life with, raise a family with, plan and provide a home for? All brought to an end before it began. How disappointing.

But hope entered Joseph’s worry. 

Hope came from an angel of the Lord. 

Truth spoken to darkness.

What did the angel say that changed Joseph’s view? 

Mary carried Immanuel, God with us.

This is  the beginning of victory over the flesh.

Hope of eternal sanctification was about to come onto the scene.

Joseph had his plans for his life, not knowing he was part of a bigger story. Someone who would protect Jesus as a child. The hope of the world.

Hope lives to this very day. It can be celebrated before Christmas comes. Thankfully, my attempts to make Christmas just right, can not lesson the rightful place of hope. 

We have all had plans that have not been able to happen or had to be accomplished a different way. Just like the good plans of Joseph’s, that seemed to have been upended. But God is always offering us hope, the same hope that was born in Bethlehem. Emmanuel, God with us.

We too like, Joseph, can help to keep hope alive.

If you know someone needing some hope today, would you share this post with them? 

If you want to read about Joseph, his predicament, and the visit from the angel, read Matthew, chapter 1, verses 18-25.