Christmas Story Part Three: Nothing Short of Supernatural!
The Christmas story is a series of supernatural encounters with angels, heavenly induced dreams, a strategically placed guiding star, and secret influences of the Holy Spirit. The Christmas story we celebrate during the Christmas season is nothing short of supernatural!
Mary, the mother of Jesus was a wholesome and simple young women just looking forward to marriage and children with Joseph, her soon to be husband. But God had something more for Mary, something out of the ordinary, something supernatural. The angel Gabriel paid her a visit, revealing she would bring forth a son and name the child Jesus. Mary was a virgin so she brought that little bit of information up to the angel. The angel told Mary that the child would be born of the Holy Ghost while she was still a virgin. To help Mary believe that this was really going to happen, Gabriel assured her before making an exit that with God nothing shall be impossible.
Then there’s the supernatural encounter that Joseph experienced. He was more than a little suspicious of Mary, her pregnancy and the explanation surrounding it. This was very hard for him to accept for the obvious reasons. Without some kind of supernatural intervention. Joseph could not have followed through with the marriage or come to terms that he would be the earthly father of the Savior of the world. A heavenly induced dream convinced Joseph to proceed with the marriage and to accept that he would be the earthly father of the promised Messiah.
There are other supernatural encounters that are a part of the Christmas story; the angelic announcement of the birth of Jesus to the shepherds abiding in the field. The appearance of a bright and bold star, an astronomical phenomenon, leading the Wise Men to the baby Jesus. Then there is elderly Simeon and aged Anna, both promised through the secret influence of the Holy Spirit that they would not die before they witnessed the coming of Christ.
The Christmas Story is a collection of supernatural happenings. If we need help or comfort during the holiday season we are encouraged by the Christmas story to believe that God is able to help us work through the improbable and the seemingly impossible when we place our trust in Him.
Joseph C. Hutchison
Amen…