What Is Conceived In Her

By Marty Norman  

Matthew 1:20 “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit…”(NIV).  Can you imagine Joseph’s surprise and horror when he discovered Mary was pregnant -and not by him.  I often wonder what his family said?  What they thought?

And yet the Lord works in mysterious ways. What is conceived by God often can not be comprehended by man.  God’s ways are not our ways. God’s plans are not our plans. And yet God is faithful in all things, even to the conception of our savior by the Holy Spirit. Amazingly he used a humble girl from Nazareth as his vessel. What an honor and privilege to be the bearer of light, the carrier of the Christ-child, to the Gentiles.  

I am comforted to see that God also reassured Joseph by personally speaking to him.  Joseph must have been a man of great faith because if you look closely we see that God does not give many details – only a general picture of Jesus’ purpose on earth.  “You are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”

Isn’t that like the Holy Spirit? He comes to us in ways we don’t expect, dreams, circumstances, other people. Not only that but he gives us messages that we don’t understand, “do not turn to the right or left…”  “this is the way walk in it…”, you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”.

As we approach the advent season followed by the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior we can all look toward the coming of the Christ child in a new way.  As a grandmother, I am especially grateful for his coming and his presence. As I celebrate his first coming as a baby and what all that means to me and my family, I also look forward to his second coming as a king.

Am I ready?  Are we ready?

As I survey the world around me I see chaos multiplying exponentially. I see fear and confusion in people’s eyes; I hear hopelessness and helplessness in their voices.   Darkness and despair abound. Fear has taken hold and many do not know how to respond.

Yet Jesus is clear.  He tells us not to be afraid, that he is with us always. “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20)

The question becomes personal: how to impart the depth of Joseph’s faith and mine to my family in the midst of a secular celebration.  When you think of it, a jolly, fat man with a beard dressed in red is pretty far fetched.  Yet our world has bought into this image.  Now more than ever, we are willing to teach our children that one man in one night can ride a sleigh around the world delivering toys to all the boys and girls in the world. But some won’t even consider that the savior of the world came to us as a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manager. How can that be?

Yet that is the truth. To say that speaking the truth in this environment is a challenge is an understatement. But speak it we must.

If there is any light at the end of the tunnel regarding the recent financial crisis, perhaps it is in the fact that the current situation gives us an opportunity to walk out our faith in a new way. By being bold, by sharing our faith, by speaking the truth in love, perhaps we can make an impact in a world that has turned itself upside down.

There are many ways to do this but at Christians we must get creative. Perhaps this is the year to simplify our Christmas buying and spending. Maybe we should tell our children and grandchildren that we are more about celebrating the season, giving to the less fortunate than giving to ourselves. Perhaps we should take the opportunity to share the Christmas story, to take them to a homeless shelter, adopt a family from the giving tree, make a donation in their name, adopt an African child and send him to school, pray for a family affected by Hurricane Ike. Definitely we should cut down on our own Christmas gifts to one another. These are the values that need to be taught this Christmas – giving, prayer, sacrifice, salvation.

Like Mary, let’s be vessels of the Holy Spirit carrying the Christ child and savior to a hurting world. Maybe, just maybe, our sincerity, sacrifice and willingness to share will impact our families in ways they have not been impacted before.

Do not be afraid. For what is conceived in (you) is from the Holy Spirit..

Marty Norman is the mother of two and grandmother of four.  Her book “Generation G – Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray” was released in March 2008. www.amazon.com, www.martynorman.com, http://martynorman.blogspot.com, http://savvygrandmothers.blogspot.com

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