“When His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with Child from the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18b)
This whole verse seems to emphasize Mary’s helplessness. It says she “had been betrothed” to Joseph—apparently somebody else did the marriage arrangement. It says she “was found to be with Child”—which sounds like someone made an unexpected discovery. And then there’s the phrase “before they came together”—which only emphasizes how alone Mary is, right here and now.
But she isn’t really, is she? As awful as things are, the Lord is still with her. She’s carrying Jesus. The Holy Spirit is guiding her, though she doesn’t yet see how or where. This is probably the lowest point of her life, at least until she sees her Son Jesus hanging on a cross. And yet, God is still with her.
God is with you, too—no matter how terrible your situation is, or how helpless and alone you feel. He has not abandoned you. He will not give you up. God came into the world as a tiny baby in order to make you His own, to live and to die for you. You matter to Him that much—when He suffered, when He died, when He rose again. And you matter now. Let Him care for you.
Prayer: Dear Savior, I cannot help myself. Help me. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* Why do you think Jesus came as a helpless infant?
* When have you felt helpless and alone?
* Tell about a time when God helped you, though you could not imagine how He would do that.
Advent Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on December 18, 2022
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
