Unto us a child is born

I met last night with a couple whom I am marrying this Saturday afternoon. I met them through the grapevine, they were frantically searching for a pastor to marry them before Christmas. Most of the pastors/priests they had met were either too expensive (Does the church still have an indulgence system or something?) or perhaps will not marry them because she is about 2 months pregnant. In these situations I see a woman about to be stoned by the angry crowd or even the woman at the well. If these aren't the life stories we step into, then what is the Gospel even about?

I agreed to do the wedding and have been praying for them before we met last night. I shared with them what God had showed me. A vision of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, unmarried and with child. For outsiders, its easy to look at them with judgment. But for Mary and Joseph, they were experiencing hope and joy alongside their trepidation. Fear and Hope often are companions. When I shared this with them, it seemed to strike a chord deep within them. God is in the business of redemption, he re-writes stories. It is in these human stories where the Gospel is alive. I'm honored to be a voice of the Kingdom in this wedding this Saturday.

While the world scorned, Mary gave birth to a son that re-wrote the story of Creation.

For a child has been born—for us!
the gift of a son—for us!
He'll take over
the running of the world.
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,
Strong God,
Eternal Father,
Prince of Wholeness.
His ruling authority will grow,
and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.
He'll rule from the historic David throne
over that promised kingdom.
He'll put that kingdom on a firm footing
and keep it going
With fair dealing and right living,
beginning now and lasting always.
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies
will do all this.

-Isaiah 9

The Good News of Jesus Christ is the reality of Kingdom Come. We are blessed to be carriers of that virus.

peace,