ADVENTure: The Loud, Noisy, Roaring, Life Changing, Not So Silent NightShembull

The Adventure:

Have you ever been to a surprise party? Maybe you were even the one being surprised? It’s an awesome time. Surprises can be so much fun. On Christmas, my parents have surprised me a lot with incredible gifts. One time they even hid the one thing I wanted (A Nintendo DS obviously) and it is one of my favorite Christmas memories. Surprises can be really fun if you like surprises. Maybe you get scared really easily and jump at someone saying hello when you don’t see them walk into the room.

Life is full of surprises. Suprise friendships, surprise parties, or surprise puppies for Christmas. But life is also filled with bad surprises. Surprises like moving schools, friend groups falling apart, or even a death in the family. Life can change really fast when surprises happen and no one understood this better than Joseph. Joseph was about to be married to Mary when everything changed. All of a sudden Mary was pregnant and that was not a part of Joseph’s plan. Joseph had lots of questions and things weren’t making sense.

But we see here that an angel of God explains everything to Joseph. The reason things weren’t making sense was that God had bigger plans than what Mary and Joseph had planned. That Mary was now carrying the savior of the world and was pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now that is a surprising plan. Maybe you and God have different plans but I can promise you this, God’s plan is better. I have discovered time and time again that what I thought was best was actually the worst thing that could ever happen. That getting my way was actually not the best way. God can be surprising but there is hope because all of God’s plans work out for God’s glory and our good. They work out for God’s best and our best. No, sometimes our best doesn’t look like best in the moment. Think of exercising, that’s hard work. Sweating, being exhausted, feeling sore afterward. But at the end of it, you are stronger and healthier. Sometimes God’s plan involves us being worn out and maybe even feeling defeated. But in the end, we walk away with a stronger faith and loving God more. If you don’t believe me just look at the life of Mary and Joseph.

The Destination:

I’m sure Joseph’s world was spinning when he found out that Jesus was going to be born. His world became loud and unstable. But He trusted God’s plan. The Christmas story is able to happen because of Mary and Joseph’s obedience to God and where He called them. When you think of the Christmas story think of all the obedience it took for it to happen the way God planned.

Songs For The Journey:

Mary and Joseph by Chris Renzema