Last Christmas

“Last Christmas I gave you my heart… But the very next day you gave it away… This year to save me from tears… I’ll give it to someone special.”

Wham’s “Last Christmas” was a chart-topping hit in 1984 and 1985, respectively.  I think the song has a timeless appeal because we believe we can make next Christmas perfect, or at least a lot better, if we make the ‘right choice.’

About fifteen years ago, I decided to return to college to achieve my bachelor’s degree. I have a very large family, so instead of a four-year degree path, the journey to my diploma took nine years.  In my final December of college, as I was drowning in final exams, I said to myself, “When I graduate, I will have a peaceful Christmas next year, no stress.”

You might be smiling as you read this, knowing that a stress-free Christmas is, in and of itself, a fantasy. This year has seen me through broken relationships and betrayals that really hurt me, and a Lyme disease diagnosis for Christmas.  Antibiotics are helping me regain my energy, but Christmas shopping has been slow.

 I recently told a friend that, as awful as it sounded, I felt like Christmas was an inconvenience rather than a reason to rejoice. Christmas shopping became an obstacle course and a set of hurdles to limp across.  

I knew it was time to regroup and get back to the Bible.  I reread the accounts of the first Christmas in Matthew and Luke.  I kept coming back to Joseph and the massive disruption and upheaval the birth of the Son of God would have had on this humble carpenter.  I couldn’t help but notice that whenever Joseph faced obstacles, God gave him instructive dreams. Divine GPS, if you will.

Obstacle #1. Trust –  

 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph, her husband, was faithful to the law and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he planned to divorce her quietly.

 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.”  (Matthew 1:18-21)

In biblical times, in the Hebrew tradition, the period of being engaged to be married (the betrothal) could last a year before the actual ceremony, but the couple was considered legally married. Mary was ‘found to be pregnant,’ which is the passive phrase heyriskō. The Hebrew translation in this instance means, “to be discovered, recognized, detected, to show oneself out, of one’s character or state as found out by others (men, God, or both).”

So, it’s safe to assume that Mary didn’t tell Joseph personally of her pregnancy; it was a discovery of his or someone else’s making.  Joseph was a humble carpenter, a righteous man by reputation, and he now has evidence that his wife (to be) has been unfaithful. The Bible doesn’t elaborate on his emotional state, but I think we can assume Joseph was heartbroken at being duped.  But instead of embarrassing Mary by airing out their dirty laundry publicly, he planned to divorce her quietly. To me, this speaks volumes about Joseph’s character. He doesn’t lash out in anger, even though he could.  Joseph is still protecting Mary, even though he doesn’t owe her his allegiance anymore.

Then a single night’s sleep changed everything.

An angel of the Lord visits Joseph in his dream, and he is reassured that Mary never betrayed him. Not only that, but Joseph has been recruited to partner with God himself to raise the Messiah, the Savior of the world.  No pressure, Joseph.

 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.     (Matthew 1:24-25.)

Pseudo betrayal. Thoughtful pause. Instructive angelic dream. Immediate obedience.

Obstacle #2 – Danger

 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

 So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”   (Matthew 2:13,14)

This is after the Magi have come to worship Jesus, leaving Mary and Joseph their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  After they leave, Joseph has another angelic visitation in his dream. King Herod (a psychopath) is plotting to murder Jesus.

To put this in perspective – King Herod wants Jesus dead so badly, he employs a scorched earth policy and has ALL the baby and toddler boys murdered where he perceives Jesus might be.

 Then Herod, when he saw that the wise men deceived him, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.  Matthew 2:16

Joseph is a man, first and foremost. He is keenly aware of his duty to protect his family.  Joseph doesn’t waste a single second – he flees ‘during the night.’   I picture Joseph pressing feather-light kisses on Jesus’s forehead as Jesus falls back asleep on Joseph’s shoulder.  Joseph may be terrified, but Jesus is safe in his daddy’s arms.

Immediate danger. Instructive angelic dream. Instantaneous action. Total obedience.

Obstacle # 3 – Cutting ties

After roughly three years in Egypt as a foreigner trying to survive while staying under the radar, Joseph is called home.

 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel.    Matthew 2:19-21

 Instructive angelic dream. Say goodbye to Egypt. To friends. The coast is clear.  Move. And Joseph obeys again.

Obstacle # 4 –  Fear

At this point, Joseph is on the move with his family, but he gets word that King Herod’s son Archelaus is now ruling, and this means that things have gone from bad to worse. Archelaus is just as cruel as his father, but with no real ability to rule. Archelaus would later be deposed. Joseph is wise to be afraid.

 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”    (Matthew 2:22, 23)

Return to a land with a dangerous ruler. Hesitate out of fear—an instructive dream from GOD. Joseph obeys. Prophecy fulfilled.

I found it a sweet and tender observation that Joseph’s final warning dream came not from an angel, but from God himself, as if an angelic dream wouldn’t reassure Joseph.  This message had to come from Jesus’ heavenly Father to Jesus’ earthly father.

I also found it reassuring to read that the birth and provision of Jesus brought Joseph through so many more Christmas inconveniences than I will ever experience. Joseph sacrificed everything – his reputation, his family, friends, creature comforts, personal security to love and nurture and protect the infant King who is our reason for Christmas. 

The first Christmas was fraught with tears… and stress… and danger… and inconvenience. But most of all, obedience.

Maybe George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were onto something though. If your “Last Christmas” you gave your heart away to the wrong person – next year, to save you from tears… give it to someone special.  Give your heart to Jesus – Immanuel – “God with us.”  The infant king who was destined to be your Savior.   

REJOICE!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, dear reader.