Second
Mary was apprehensive about telling Joseph the stunning news about her baby. Just as Mary expected, Joseph responded in shock and surprise. All through the night she replayed in her mind his voice filled with dismay saying, “ Mary, how could you..?” Over and over she rehearsed the scene of his slowly walking away from her. She recalled he never looked back as she sat on a rock silently weeping. Pretty soon she was sure the whole town would know. Her whole family would be disgraced. That Angel didn't tell me that I'd be an outcast in this town. I could even be stoned. I mean really who would believe that I am pregnant and that no man was involved. Joseph thinks I was sleeping with somebody else, she mused as she cried herself to sleep.
At his home, Joseph was lost in his thoughts. He remembered that since he first saw Mary he desperately loved her. “I believed she loved me too,” he thought. “I just can’t believe she would betray our marriage vows,” His confused thoughts troubled him. He contemplated what he should do. He thought “ I could expose her, and hurt her as she’s hurt me, but I love her.” As he was considering a quiet way to break off this betrothal he drifted off to sleep. An angelic visit in his dream changed his plans. The angel said this really was a God thing that happened to Mary. With his doubts removed he knew what he had to do.
As the sun rose he dressed, skipped his breakfast and quickly made his way to Mary’s home. Waiting for her to get dressed his heart raced as he considered that this will be our wedding day. I am going to be the father of the Messiah. “Well I’m going to be the caretaker, the foster parent the , the, what’s the right word, “ he wondered. Whatever, I will be the husband of Mary, the mother of the Messiah.
Meanwhile as Mary dressed she was dreading seeing Joseph. Mary thought, “He is probably going to take me to the center of the town.” “There in front of everybody he’ll tell everyone what a horrible person I am for getting pregnant and that he’s not the father, she reflected. “ She started to think, “ I wonder if the stoning will take long before I die.” Sadly she looked around her little space as if to say good-bye because she knew she would never return to this room again.
When she entered the room instead of an angry man she saw a soft smile on Joseph’s face. Joseph explained that he’d been visited by one of God’s angels who told him the whole story. He assured Mary he wanted to get married right away.
Mary learned that when one has a promise of God that
God is responsible for working out the details
**
Based on Matthew 1:18 - 25
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