Mary and Joseph had some hard times to endure when she was pregnant. Here she was, probably 15 years old, betrothed to be married, and found out she was pregnant. She had to convince Joseph that an angel had come to her to tell her the Holy Spirit impregnated her!
Joseph, as you can well imagine, was having second thoughts about marrying Mary. An angel spoke to Joseph in a dream, and confirmed that Mary was indeed still a virgin. But do you think anyone else believed him? I’m sure he received quite a bit of ridicule for believing something that just could not be possible!
In thinking about the faith God expected of Mary and Joseph, I wondered how in the world they did it. They lived before the Bible was written. They didn’t have the well-known verse, With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God (Matthew 10:27). And then there’s Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Mary and Joseph had the wisdom of prophets and other witnesses for Christ, but no collective “backup” to refer to and rely on.
Even if we don’t read our Bible on a daily basis, we do rely on it. How different would our lives be if the Bible did not exist? The government can try to take God out of schools all they want to, but truthfully, our nation was built around the one, true God. Our pledge of allegiance says, “One nation, under God.”
I used to think the Bible was full of a bunch of old stories, and it is. But they are real stories, full of rises and falls of great and not-so-great men. Miracles. Plagues. Wars. Not so different from today. I’m trying to read the Bible with this thought at the forefront of my mind. What if King David were our president? What if Mary was your teenage daughter? Or Joseph your son? Would your tell your son to stay with and support his pregnant teenage girlfriend who claims she’s a virgin? Or would you think she’s crazy? I read these old, familiar stories and try to think how it would play out today. And they didn’t have the Bible as a foundation! Can you imagine the faith that Mary and Joseph had to have?
How often are we presented with situations that require just as much faith? And aren’t we grateful for that book full of old stories that we can depend on?
I have a new friend who is beginning a ministry called “Read the Book Ministries”, and I’m trying to take her advice and READ THE BOOK!
…With an open mind and heart.
Celeste
How often we take the Bible for granted, Celeste! This was an eye-opening read this morning. Thank you!