Where is your mind and heart this Christmas?Matthew 1 tells us that Joseph’s mind is just like ours.We make decisions based on our own understanding and the facts as we see them. He did, too. Mary is suddenly pregnant, and the baby isn’t his.What is he to conclude except that Mary has been unfaithful to him.In his mind, there is no other explanation.His mind starts to process the options.He thinks through the possible scenarios and the “what ifs” based on the information that he has.He uses reason and logic, of course.He goes into decision mode. He leans toward calling the engagement off which back in that day was considered divorce.
Matthew tells us something strategic about Joseph.Verse 19 tells us he was a righteous man.That means he walked with God.He wanted to get things right.What God wanted for his life mattered to him.He was one of the good guys.Even though he must have been hurt, even though he must have felt betrayed, even though he must have been crushed at the thought of calling off the wedding after the plans had been made and the dreams had been dreamed, he still wanted to “do the right thing.”
New information was given to him by angel.It was a new level of processing he would need to do.This information superseded facts.It defied logic.It was a level of thinking way beyond human reasoning and feeling.This information, because it was from God, was a game changer for Joseph.It didn’t matter what he had been considering, what he had been planning, what he had decided would be the best response to this difficult situation, the plan in his mind went not just to the back burner, but off the table when God’s plan was presented to him.
Scripture tells us that Joseph wanted to do a decent thing, but he surrendered to a Divine thing.
Some of you may need to reconsider what you have been considering.Perhaps some of your plans aren’t the result of an encounter with God, but are the result of your best possible brainstorming.There is more.There is a miracle on the other side of surrender to God’s plans for each and every situation you face. Like Joseph, give up the decent thing to experience a Divine thing.
Mary allowed a hard thing to become a heart thing.
There is nothing easy about finding out you are pregnant due to a miracle and a miracle all of the sudden.There is nothing easy about trying to explain that to your fiancé, his family, your family and the rest of the town.There is nothing easy about being young and being told you have been selected to bear the Son that would save the world.It isn’t easy to be told from the onset of His life that through His life’s mission, you would suffer as if a sword would pierce your heart (Luke 2:35).It isn’t easy to know that your Son’s very existence would cause division, drama, and ultimately His death.
Luke 2:19 tells us Mary allowed all of her processing to go beyond just a thought-level, beyond just a mind-level, and allowed it to stir around and soak around in her heart.
This was TMI.This was too much information to just try to deal with in her mind.It went beyond a decision or two.This wasn’t surrendering just to a next step, but to a total life change.Mary was taking to heart the role that God had assigned her to play in human history.Mary was willing for the Holy Spirit to overshadow her body and life for the rest of her life.
I truly believe if God hadn’t held Mary’s heart, if she hadn’t surrendered to God’s plan in her heart from the beginning, it would have been too hard for her to deal with, too hard for her to follow through.This is what I believe:When our hearts are surrendered to God, He can do in and through us what we never imagined.Supernatural strength becomes ours.Peace becomes ours.Power becomes ours.
When God has our hearts, hard things become Heaven’s opportunity to work in and through us.
What I think God wants you to hear this Christmas Season is that there is a God to know and experience.He wants to change the way you think about everything, including the decisions you are wrestling with right now.He wants to change the way you experience everything by taking control of your heart.If you will surrender your mind to Him, if you will surrender your heart to Him, He will equip you, empower you, encourage you, and use you in miraculous ways and in ways that bring contentment to you and deliverance to many others.
Life won’t be easier, just sweeter.Life won’t be more fair, just more joyful.Life won’t be less painful, just more purposeful.Life won’t be less confusing, just more contented.Life won’t be less complicated, just more streamlined as you follow the One who is the Light of the World and the way out of this life and into eternal life in Heaven.
Take in the Gift of Christmas.Allow God to change your plans.Take in the Gift of Christmas.Allow God to do a work in your heart.You will be eternally glad you did.
