The Importance of Being Single
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and 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 be with child and will 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 had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-38)
It's the Christmas season, as if you hadn't already noticed! This is supposed to be one of the most joyous times of the year. Sadly, it's one of the most traumatic times of the year for many people... a lot of them single adults. If you are a single adult, whether this is your first or your fiftieth Christmas without a spouse, you have a choice of how you are going to feel about the holidays. You can choose to be miserable, or you can choose to be joyous. It's up to you.
Let's take a look at two single adults who chose to follow God, to live in the joy that lifestyle grants us.... Mary and Joseph. Yes, they were both single when Jesus was born. They were betrothed, which in their time was much more binding than an engagement is now, but they were single. Joseph was obviously a devout Jew, since he actively participated in all of the religious rites and sacraments of his time. He was also obviously a man of great faith. He had to be to believe the angel that spoke to him in his sleep telling him the true nature of Mary's pregnancy. He was willing to follow God's will, no matter what the consequences. Mary, too, was a woman of great faith. She had to be in order to submit to becoming pregnant out of wedlock – something that, at best, would have ruined her reputation for life, and for which, at worst, she could have been stoned to death! She, like Joseph, was willing to follow God's will no matter what the consequences. Both of these people were devout. Both were people of great faith. Both were single adults.
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Think about how special this is. God chose two single adults to be the vessel through whom He would give the world the greatest gift He had to give... His Son!
This Christmas, if you begin to feel lost and lonely, think about how special Mary and Joseph were, and how God chose them, single adults, through whom to bless the world! Then think about what you can do to give some of that blessing – Jesus – to others this Christmas, and always. When you turn your focus outward and upward, the Christmas season becomes what it is supposed to be.
From Newsong Ministries
Newsong6@bellsouth.net
Used with permission.
