Day 20
Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25
This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.
But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Story from the Blue Seats:
The most beautiful view in the sanctuary (at least for me) isn’t found at any of the blue seats. It’s at the very back of the room. I often stand there to worship and see the entirety of the church worship in turn, and one Sunday I found myself there while communion was being prepared. I watched as hands gently picked up trays and held them steady, worshiping and waiting. I watched as they moved forward and, row by row, began passing out the bread and cup. I watched as they offered an invitation to receive what Jesus freely offers us at every seat.
Sometimes seeing the orchestrations behind each service makes it more challenging to sink into worship, but some other times, like that Sunday, it amplifies my worship several times over. Like the angels going to meet Joseph, we get to go first – to bring an invitation to experience God to someone else. We get to take part in the story. Sometimes knowing the story ahead of time, whether that’s the order of service or the prophetic word from centuries ago, helps us celebrate God in a moment we may have otherwise labeled a distraction from the “main event.” How beautiful that people like Joseph, like us, are invited to be part of the story of Jesus!
