Standing Firm during Christmas Celebrations

Luke 2:1

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth, to Bethlehem, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary..."

A few days ago, I had lunch with friends.   One of the gals, who has far more Bible knowledge than I mentioned, that it was not necessary for Mary to travel the 75-80 miles to Bethlehem. That Joseph could have gone by himself to register and saved Mary the discomfort and inconvenience of the mountainous journey.

So why did Mary go?    Can you imagine being 9 months pregnant and riding on a donkey through mountainous terrain for 75+ miles? 

What was happening in Mary's circumstances to make her want to go this inconvenient distance?

• Were the whispers and ridicule from others too humiliating to endure without Joseph around?
• Were the interpersonal relationships within in her family too hard to deal with following the news of her pregnancy out of wedlock?  After all, it had been 6 long months of being misunderstood by the people closest to her...

When all she had done, was yes to God. 

When you and I choose to say yes to God and to the best of our ability live the Bible in our everyday lives, we too will often be misunderstood, just like Mary was.  Sometimes by those closest to us.

As we prepare to gather with family and friends over the Christmas weekend, I want to encourage you to stand firm in your godly behavior.  The temptation to fit in and be accepted is quite powerful.  

There are people in my life - people that I will encounter this weekend, if asked would say that I've "taken this God thing just a little too far."    Saying yes to God and being misunderstood is really hard.  After all, I just want to fit in, to be accepted.

If you are in circumstances such as these, stand firm with me dear sister - loving those around you, not judging in any way shape or form but just allowing your light to shine, they they too may want to know your Jesus. 

Power verses:
"Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."  1 Peter 5:8-9

You are the light of the world.  In the same way, let your light shine before men...  Matthew 5:14, 16

Let's vow to pray this for each other.

Merry Christmas!