Christmas Heroes

Last Thursday night we had a huge fire.  A flare ignited some dry grass nearby, and the fire spread with unbelievable speed because we had howling winds raging that night.  Thirty minutes after the fire started, I received a call from my neighbor saying maybe I should pack up papers and valuables, and then he started hosing down my roof.  My home was already filling up with smoke - my eyes were burning and I was coughing.  My son came to help me load things up, and I went to stay where he lives for the night.

As I drove out of our village, I pulled over to look back.  I was shocked at how huge the fire was and how fast it was moving.  I wondered if I'd ever see my home again.  The firemen were heroic!  I'm only 8 homes in from where the edge of the fire was so it was CLOSE!  

I was so very grateful to return to my home the next morning.  I’m so grateful for my neighbor, the firemen, and guardian angels watching over me!  I've been cleaning up ash both inside and out, and trying to get rid of the smoke smell - but I still have a home!! 

It was definitely a scary experience, but the one thing that was really precious was that in the midst of it, I had peace.  I didn't know what the morning would bring, but my heart wasn't frantic - it was at peace.  I have thanked the Lord so much for that.

This past week in my meditating on the Christmas characters, I've been thinking about Joseph and Mary.  Joseph is kind of the quiet hero of the Christmas story.  Joseph and Mary were engaged to be married, but, before that happened, Mary became pregnant.  This was scandalous in their culture.  Being the good man that he was, he was just going to quietly break things off in order to not shame her.  But an angel appeared to Joseph in a dream, and told him that Mary had conceived by the Holy Spirit.  Now that's a pretty tall tale to believe!  But dear Joseph believed what had been revealed to him, and went ahead with marrying Mary.

I have such admiration for Joseph.  By going ahead and marrying Mary, I'm sure there must have been some whispering and talking about all this.  He probably had to bear some shame himself.  From all we know about him, he seems to have been a gentle, kind, Godly man.  The whole Christmas story - the whole story of Jesus' birth - could have been so very different if Joseph hadn't given heed to what the angel told him in his dream.  In many ways, Joseph "saved the day!"  He's definitely a hero!  

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened like this.  His mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, and before they came together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit.  And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, and not willing to make her a public example, intended to put her away secretly.

But when he thought about these things, look, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to yourself Mary, your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  And she will bring forth a son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."

And Joseph arose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took his wife to himself; and had no marital relations with her until she had brought forth a son; and he named Him Jesus."

Matthew 1:18-25

Thank goodness for this quiet hero!

But Mary is my favorite character.

She was quite young, probably 14-16 years of age, and engaged to be married.  She and Joseph were most likely quite poor - they were "normal" folks, not of the elite, wealthy or religious community.  It must have seemed very strange to Mary for an angel to appear to her - and even more strange the message that he gave her....that she would bear the Messiah. 

Nothing is said about her parents, which seems unusual.  In fact, she went to see her cousin Elizabeth to talk about all this because the angel had also told her that Elizabeth would bear a son even though she was old.  Nothing was impossible with God!   

Several things stand out to me about Mary:

- She didn't argue with the angel about how ridiculous this all was, she simply asked how is it possible since I'm a virgin?

- Once the angel explained that the Holy Spirit had come upon her, she accepted what the angel told her.

-  She was quick in her response and willing to obey what the angel said.

Her response of quick/immediate acceptance and obedience is something I greatly admire.  I have to admit that I am sometimes slower in my responses to God.  My practical mind wants to think everything through first.  Mary didn't hesitate - "See the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to your word." Luke 1:38  She accepted and obeyed.

I can only assume by all this that Mary's heart was so attuned to the Lord that it was her natural response to hear and obey.  It shows me that she walked in relationship with the Lord, even at her young age.  She was chosen among all the possible candidates to be the mother of the Messiah.  Her heart was ready.  That's my "takeaway" from studying Mary - I want to be so close to the Lord that I can hear His voice speak to me and be ready to obey.  I'm working on that!

I love Mary's prayer of response:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name.
His mercy extends to those who fear him,
from generation to generation.
He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
He has brought down rulers from their thrones
but has lifted up the humble.
He has filled the hungry with good things
but has sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
remembering to be merciful
to Abraham and his descendants forever,
just as he promised our ancestors.”

Luke 1:46-55

Her prayer of magnifying God has been known through the ages all over the world!  I am so grateful for her example.

I’m also so grateful for a sweet gift I received this Christmas from my daughter.  It has touched my tender heart!  She took Floyd's signature of love to me and had it imprinted on a small heart plate.  Every time I look at it, I'm reminded of Floyd's love for me.  In this season of grieving Floyd's passing, it is a precious reminder - in his own writing - of his love. I can't think of anything more special to receive as a gift this Christmas.  I share a photo of it above.

"For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given."  Isaiah 9:6  Whatever you are facing and going through this Christmas - remember that Jesus has come near to us.  The obedience of a young Jewish woman named Mary helped pave the way for our wonderful Savior to identify with us in anything we walk through.  He understands, and He is with us!

I pray for a blessed Christmas for each of you!