Getting Ready For Christmas--Joseph Loved

In our first two blogs of this series, we explored how to prepare for that first Christmas, Joseph had to have faith, and then had to act on that faith by being obedient. Those are important and even essential elements for us as well in this season of Advent. They are not, however, what I think are most important. What I think is most important is something the Bible does not say directly, but certainly implies.

Joseph loved.

Joseph loved Mary. When he found out she was pregnant before they had been together, he did not want to disgrace her. Why? Because he loved her. When the angel told him in a dream to trust Mary and take her as his wife, he believed. Why? Certainly because he was a God-fearing man, but also, I believe, because of love.

Because he loved, Joseph took Mary with him as he went to register in Bethlehem. He had to register, not her. She, however, was due any day, and Joseph wanted to be part of that experience with the woman he loved. He endured the gossip, the outrage, the snickers and the ridicule because he loved.

Joseph loved Jesus. He desperately sought a place for the child to be born, and did the best he could to provide shelter. When Jesus was born, Joseph was there. When it came time for the child to be dedicated in the temple, Joseph went, claiming Him as his own. When righteous Simeon praised God as he recognized Jesus as the Messiah, Joseph marveled.

When told that his son was threatened, Joseph left the life he knew and fled to Egypt. When told it was safe to return, he avoided further danger and forsook the land of his fathers to live in Galilee. When Jesus went missing at 12 years old in Jerusalem, Joseph ran back to find Him.

Joseph loved, and he showed his love by what he did.

As we prepare for Christmas, we also must love. We must love one another, and we must love Jesus Christ our Lord. In I Corinthians 13:13, Paul says, "And now these three remain: Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

I John 4:16 says, "God is love." John was not led to write, "God is faith," or "God is hope," but rather, "God is love." In heaven, I don't believe we will need faith--God will be visible and with us always. Nor do I believe we will need hope, for we will have received our inheritance. What will always remain, though, is love.

If we observe Christmas as a celebration of Christ, and believe that Christ is God, then we must embrace that Christmas is about love. Christmas is about John 3:16, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." Christ was born for this reason: God so loved the world.

The origin of Christmas is love. Let us not fail to remember that as we get ready for Christmas this year.