God Chose an Engaged Couple

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,

to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David.

The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said,

'Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.'

(Luke 01: 26 – 28)

The Christmas story is exciting for many and a nightmare for few.

The series of events that take us to the glorious manger in Bethlehem begin with trouble, confusion and fear. It is because, God highly favoured an engaged girl; a virgin who was promised for a man in marriage. 

Mary was engaged to Joseph. And God’s eyes were looking on both of them, this engaged couple, when God’s time came to send His own Son into this world. God favoured! It was not just a mere choice for God, but He highly favoured Mary; this virgin in Nazareth!

Not an ordinary one, but a special case!

As the angel told Mary, the virgin became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. God becoming flesh!

And Joseph, realising such a fact, imagine what all would have been going on in his head. All kinds of possibilities and impossibilities in his human mind. Something beyond nature happening. Incarnation on progress.

Indeed it would have been a hard fact for him to digest and truth to realise.

But isn’t it amazing, that God was behind all these. God’s mighty plan was behind all these confusions, fear, doubts and difficulties in human understanding. God’s heart was with both of them.

God felt what was exactly going on in both, Mary and Joseph’s heart.

God, indeed, felt what decisions a human mind would arrive at such troublesome moments - to move away. God decided to clear the doubts. And that one assurance that Joseph received when the angel visited him, which his human mind really needed, took him all the way to the manger in Bethlehem with his beloved Mary. He understood, it was not just duty, but a calling; God’s calling to be part of His great mission on earth. Mary and Joseph were called for this mission as a couple; as an engaged couple.

In spite of all the obstacles, prejudices, stereotypes and social understandings, God helped them to hold on to each other and become stronger in their love and faithfulness as the great day kept coming closer.

What a challenge they had overcome! What a great mission they have been part of.

Even though they were an engaged couple, the strong faith they had on the Almighty God, and His promises, is the force that has brought them all the way with the Savior of the World to the manger.

What a wonderful scene it is to see in Bethlehem!

An engaged couple who held on to each other because of their faith and assurance in God few months ago, are today with Christ Jesus amongst them. Joseph would have been amazed at the beautiful scene in Bethlehem that night. Counting the visitors and their profiles, we are sure he would have remembered that dream; that dream of assurance. That dream of assurance was guiding him over the past few months.

On this Christmas Day, as we remember the glorious manger that had in it the Glorious Saviour of the World, let’s remember it as God’s greater plans and His amazing ways.

We need to trust Him fully when He calls us, whatever our situation may be. We need to keep our thoughts focused towards that great day! The day when our strong faith and assurance in God will amaze. I pray that God will help you to keep up your faith in Him and His plans in spite of all the impossibilities and situations around you today.

God chose an engaged couple! God favoured!

To bring His own son Jesus into the world, to be at the thresholds of Heaven-Earth, God-Man, Holiness-Sin and Eternity-Death.

May God bless you.

A Blessed and Merry Christmas to you and your family. 


Yours in Christ,