Misfit

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly.  But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.  She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’  Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet:   ^‘BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,’ which translated means, ‘GOD WITH US.’”  Matt 1:18-23 (NASB95)

Do you ever feel alone?  Lonely?  Like you just don't fit in?   I do.  At times I feel like a total misfit.  You may feel you are the only one facing your situation.  Perhaps you have lost a mate?  Lost a child?  Maybe you struggle with a relationship or an addiction, or a mental or physical limitation.  You may be a single parent.  You may love someone who doesn’t love you.  Are you a single man or woman expecting a child and feel no one understands?  You could be far away from family and friends, or under financial stress.  A pilgrim in ministry?  Loving someone who doesn’t know Jesus?  Struggling with sin you just can’t get past?

I wonder if the mother and earthly father of Jesus ever felt like a misfit.  Mary had never been with a man, yet she would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit.  Who would believe her?  What would people think and say?  The man she hoped to marry was thinking of leaving.  Young and alone, who would be there to help her?  Only she had heard the angel speak.  Troubled and afraid, she asked, “How will this be?”  The angel convinced her God was able to do all things.  All Joseph had to base his whole life on—his and Mary’s—was an angel in a dream.  What if he had made a mistake?  What would that mean?  He must have wondered:  Who am I to care for this baby born to save the world?  I don't know if I can do this.

  

What about Jesus?  The King of kings, whose kingdom would not end, was born far from home in a barn surrounded by dirt and smelly animals.  From the most humble of settings in the most humble of ways, a Savior?  He was expected but not like this.

Jesus’ family, religious leaders, and sometimes His followers, saw Him as a misfit.  But His desire was not to fit in.  It was to do the will of His Father. Not even one tribe welcomed Him.  He had no place to lay His head.  Through every temptation known to man, He remained without sin.  He did hang out with sinners, though.  Tax collectors, liars, thieves, prostitutes, and murderers.  Why?  Because He wanted them to get to know Him and His Father.  It was the thought of the separation that had never before been—separation from His Father—that made Jesus sweat blood.  Jesus knows well what it means to feel alone—to feel that you don’t fit in.  But He came to get us so we will never have to be alone.

Like Paul, I see myself as chief of all sinners.  I need to grow in knowing God and His love for me all the more. 

  

Prayer:

Lord, I pray we come celebrate and rest in that costly, beautiful love of yours and your Father’s.  Impress on our hearts that we are not alone.  That you are God with us.

(Note:  If you would enjoy just letting God wrap His arms around you in His love, think of beginning with music.  I have just purchased a l0-year-old girl’s (Jackie Evancho) recording of “O Holy Night.”  Two of the songs on the CD are opera but even my gospel-music-loving husband said he liked it.  Enjoy the words to the English songs, but just let the opera be a backdrop to enjoy God’s presence.)