Check This Out!
“But as he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him . . .” (Matthew 1:20)
The Christmas season is a wondrous time of year! Yet, perhaps this season you are not as festive or joyous as others because you are wondering how God is going to show up and reveal His saving power over a difficult situation in your life.
Let it be noted that before the splendor and beauty of the birth of Jesus occurred, it started out as a major crisis for Joseph. Matthew 1:18-19 begins the Christmas narrative with a young couple engaged to be married. But something terrible from Joseph’s perspective happened—Mary was pregnant and he was not the father!
As Joseph was devising a plan that could avert this crisis, something amazing happened. Matthew 1:20-21 says, “But as he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for H will save His people from their sins.’”
Notice the word behold. Matthew uses this particle as an indicator that something big is about to happen. It’s Matthew’s way of saying, “Check this out! You’re not going to believe what happens next!”
The event, that at first seemed so tragic to Joseph, was the Creator coming into the world to save the world from its sins! God was working through Joseph’s crisis for His purposes.
No matter how difficult your circumstances are this Christmas, seek the Lord and trust in His saving power. And when God shows up in an amazing way, may you begin your testimony of His working in your life with, “Check this out! You’re not going to believe how God showed up! It was amazing because He is amazing!”
Ian Bacon, Superintendent of Calvary University Academy (CO)
