the rhythm of regular life

After the angels finished their chorus, after the shepherds went back to their sheep, and perhaps after the magi left their gifts and returned to their homelands, Mary and Joseph had to go back to the rhythm of regular life. In all likelihood that meant cooking, cleaning, laundry, and a job that put food on the table. I would not be surprised if Mary and Joseph pondered the events that went by as they went about the daily work. It’s quite normal to think about an exciting or meaningful event days, months, and even years after it happened – to replay in your mind the sounds, the images, the words spoken, and the smells of that event.

For me, when I think of the Christmas story, I linger over the words the angel spoke to Joseph in his dream (see Mathew 1: 20):

But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him
in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your
wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear
a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their
sins."

The angel reminds Joseph that in spite of his humble circumstances, he is royalty – he is the son (descendant) of king David. That must have encouraged Joseph. Others saw him as a carpenter, but God saw him as a prince.

As Christians, we too are encouraged in a similar way (see 1Peter 2:9):

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his
own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out
of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now
you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received
mercy.

So in the rhythm of regular life, I pray that my thoughts, words, actions, and motives would proclaim the excellencies of Him who called me out or darkness into His marvelous light.