Holy Family Our Family – Episode 122
What a beautiful example the Holy Family is in our lives and in this episode we will explore the examples of Jesus, Mary and Joseph and how to live lives that are filled with hope!
Thanks to our sponsor Media Angels, and the books A Few Minutes with God and One More Child
At Christmas time we decorate our houses with scenes of the Nativity. These scenes are familiar and if you are like me, it brings me great joy to see them around my home. I have several that are in different rooms because for me the focus of the holiday surrounds the birth of Jesus. It causes me to consider the holy and the things I hold sacred in a way that is tangible in my life.
The prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of the Messiah: Isaiah 11:1-7
It hit me recently when we read this exact scripture with my family that there was a great parallel between the verses… Justice shall be a band around his waist and faithfulness a belt upon his hips with Ephesians
Exhortations for Spiritual Warfare – Ephesians 6:10-18
1It is at times like this that I wish I was a scripture scholar. I’m not. But what I can tell you is that the parallel really spoke to me – The prophet Isaiah foretold the coming of the Messiah and in the New Testament Christ is the fulfillment of the prophecy and the key to winning over souls out of the hands of the enemy.
The opening of the kingdom – the eternal kingdom and our salvation comes from Christ. And what an example the Holy Family is to us –
Do we consider ourselves in that situation? The Holy Family gives us an example of overcoming hardship for the greater good. Mary and Joseph were scorned in their own town. Why? Because Mary was “with child” before she lived with Joseph. She was betrothed but then went to visit Elizabeth. When she returned, they could see she was pregnant. She explained in her own words that an angel had appeared to her. Can you imagine what her parents thought? Can you imagine being Joseph?
Take time to think about this and apply it to your life. How do you face those hard decisions in your life? Do you do it with faith and help from the Lord or do you do it on your own without thought of God? Look at the lives of the Holy Family. I came up with five things I’ve learned from the life they lived.
What we learn from the Holy Family:
- Dying to self. They took upon themselves the hardships of what the yes to God would mean – a huge disruption in what they envisioned for their life.
- Ability to persevere – in the face of hardship they forged on having to travel to Bethlehem for the census (God knew this, right? Again it was a fulfillment of prophecy but how difficult for Mary and Joseph.)
- Understanding the truth. They believed. They may have questioned, who wouldn’t? But, they believed that God would provide for them, and He did. Even if it wasn’t easy.
- Responsibility – can you imagine being in charge of the upbringing of the second person of the Trinity, Jesus? Many of us can barely raise our own children and to have this mind-blowing responsibility put on our shoulders. Wow. Just wow. Friends, think about this!
- The faith that we read in the Scriptures that surpasses all understanding. That is the faith I want that I crave. I want to believe without a doubt, I want to follow God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in every single thing I do in my life.
Can you add to this list, is there something that speaks to your heart as you contemplate this most Holy of Families?
We know the end of the story and we celebrate this story every year. The prophecy was fulfilled with the yes from Mary in response to the request of the angel, archangel Gabriel – it comes again from the yes when Joseph, once he realized through a dream that Mary was telling the truth and indeed carried the Word of God soon to be made flesh that he had a responsibility to care for them both.
It also shows us that faith is a belief in that which is unseen and resonates truth in our hearts. Today we hear the media talk about “individual truth,” – for example, “she spoke the truth as she believes it.” But, truth is not subjective, it does not change, it always is. God gave us the intellect to believe in a truth higher than we could possibly imagine. Yet we think we know better. We twist the truth to meet our expectations of what we want it to say.
There is only one truth, friends. The truth that God came as a babe in humility for me, for you, for all. God is not exclusive. Do we hunger for truth and righteousness? That is truly what God is – He doesn’t lie, He doesn’t make unfulfilled promises. He came, He lived, He died and He rose.
The intelligent always think they know better. God sent his Son to live with a humble carpenter and his poor wife. Jesus wasn’t born to a king. He could have been, right? He is God, He could do whatever He wanted. We are shown that the Kings, the three Kings paid him homage. What an amazing proof that is—even to King Herod who sent out his men to kill all of the firstborn sons. But as we read in Ephesians evil will not triumph.
Friends, death is not the end. Think about this – those holy innocents, those poor souls who were murdered were vindicated once the gates of heaven were opened. They received their glory not on this earth but in the next. We look for our glory here – how many toys can we buy, how many events can we experience, we need this we need that. We do need to enjoy our life, God gave us this beautiful world in which we live, but not to the exclusiveness of all else.
God’s word is everlasting it is our rock. If we trust God and His Word we can be grounded in righteousness. We can use this rock to build our lives.
Even the gifts the Kings brought of gold, frankincense and myrrh are rich in meaning. Gold we are familiar with – it is a valuable commodity even today, frankincense as well is used by many of us as a potent and valuable essential oil – and incense, and a symbol of deity and myrrh was a symbol of death used as an embalming oil.
Again the Scriptures give us so much to think about to meditate on.
As we remember this precious gift, the birth of Christ and his earthly parents, Mary and Joseph let’s purpose to live our lives in a way that includes the Almighty and how much better off we will be!
Let’s Pray:
My God, there is so much to be thankful for even in times of hardship but we have faith the faith that you give us. Please God, during this very wonderful season, increase my faith, that is the gift I ask for to have more of You in my life to bless me with an abundance of Your grace to overflowing so that I can pour out this grace to others. All that is wonderful and righteous is in You my God, and I thank you for the gift of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Please, Lord, I ask for these special intentions for my family and friends: I love you my God and I thank you for all the answered prayers and the miracles in my life that come from you and I thank you in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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