When God breaks into our daily lives

Are the “top” stories really the top stories? Are the things that Presidents, Prime Ministers say and do the things that matter most? Some of the most important things that have happened in history have taken place away from the glare of publicity and have involved ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

More than 2000 years ago a young man named Joseph was living in the small village of Nazareth in Galilee. He had trained as a carpenter and worked in the village making furniture. He fell in love with a young girl named Mary and his family had arranged with her family that they should become engaged. Joseph couldn’t wait until Mary became his wife.

One day Mary told him some very disturbing news; she was expecting a baby. She told Joseph that an angel had appeared to her and told her that, even though she was a virgin, she would conceive a child through the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph’s immediate reaction was that Mary had been unfaithful to him. He was heartbroken and decided the only thing he could do was to quietly end the relationship. He loved Mary deeply and didn’t want to bring disgrace on her.

Then Joseph had a dream in which the Lord appeared to him 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.” So Joseph did what the angel had commanded him and married Mary, but did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son, whom he named Jesus. Joseph is an example of a young man who lived a gracious, godly life in a small community. He worked hard and loved his wife and son. He was open to God and responsive to him. He did something that was hard to do, and was probably misunderstood by many people in the village. Joseph knew that the son Mary bore was very special. Mary’s son, Jesus of Nazareth, would change the history of the world. God still draws near to us today in the ordinary events of our daily lives with his transforming love and grace.