Mary visited with Elizabeth and Zacharias for three months, then returned home.
In the meantime, Joseph found out about Mary’s pregnacy and prepared to privately put her away, but God came to him in a dream and let him know that the baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit. He reminded Joseph of Isaiah’s prophecy of a virgin bearing a son. So Joseph did as the angel instructed and took Mary as his wife.
As her due date came near, Joseph and Mary had to travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem in order to be counted in Caesar’s census.
When they got to Bethlehem, the inns were full, so they spent the night in a stable. That’s where Mary had her baby.
That same night God sent a multitude of angels to share the good news of the Savior’s birth with a motley crew of shepherds who were working outside in the nearby fields. The shepherds hurried to the stable to see for themselves, then went on to share with anyone who would listen.
Later, Mary and Joseph had more visitors. Wise men came from the East seeking He who was born King of the Jews. They’d seen His star in the sky and came to worship him. They brought with them gifts of gold, frankencense, and myrh.
All these things, Mary pondered in her heart.
During this Christmas season, may we ponder the words of our Savior and share the good news with whoever will listen. May we entertain those who have nothing to offer us and those who overwhelm us with their importance. May we keep our eyes focused on the reason for the season.
Read about Mary and Joseph in Scripture: Luke 2:1-20, Matthew 1:18-25, 2:1-12
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