Abba, Father!

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 1:18 

This morning we woke up in the frozen north. There are many places further north and higher up that might be colder at this moment, but at -17°F and with a new covering of snow, we are there in spirit and in circumstance.  Looks like the high in the Bahamas will be about 77° today. It is a contrast to be sure. Another one is that you and I are not betrothed this morning and one of us has not been found with child. However, my ridiculosity is not the important point but that little prepositional phrase there in the verse, 'of the Holy Spirit'. Most societies do not want to admit to a breakage of the rules when it comes to marriage and engagement. And it was especially important in Mary and Joseph's time since those rock-chuckin' Judeans seemed always ready for a stoning. That they had other methods to deal with unwed pregnancies appears in a later verse. But, can we so easily get past that little phrase, 'of the Holy Spirit'? There is the Christmas miracle. Jesus' daddy was the Holy Spirit! 

Merry Christmas to you, and may we say with Jesus, "Abba, Father!"

Bucky