Rise to the Occasion
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 1:22–25
Joseph woke up from his dream and did what the angel told him—not to be afraid, to take Mary as his wife, and to name the baby Jesus. He was a man of high character and protected Mary until she gave birth to the baby. What a special position he held as an important yet background person in the Christmas story.
You, too, may feel like a successful holiday season depends on you, and yet you are a background person. That’s sometimes the way it is. We do all the preparations, and the people we provide for are the featured players. That’s OK. God sees what you do, and you are appreciated and vital to a meaningful holiday season.
Did you notice that these verses explain the meaning of Emmanuel as “God with us”? That’s our focus for today: we’re not alone in our preparations; God is with us.
Dear God,
Thank you for the example of Joseph doing what you wanted him to. Help me be as responsive as he was and rise to the occasion to do my part in this year’s holiday events, remembering that You are with me. Amen.
Holiday Tip: Set up up a Gift-Wrapping Center, or box, with these seven supplies—wrap-ping paper, tissue paper, tags, bows or ribbons, scissors, tape, and a working pen. Wrap your gifts as you bring them home.