It's a Builders Dream

A young local small town builder plies his trade of creating, building and repairing.  From all appearances things are normal as he goes about his work and interacts with customers, but in reality he is distracted…even troubled.  His mind wanders to a personal problem.  A problem that is bigger than his next repair. 

He has recently learned, to his amazement and embarrassment, that the woman he is about to marry, the woman he is committed to and cares for, is pregnant.  His days are filled with struggle and uncertainty, anger and hurt.  Finally he arrives at a conclusion.  He will take care of things quietly so that she will not be disgraced. 

Sleep.  Precious sleep finally comes but with it an unsettling dream; the kind of dream that has struck fear in others.  He envisions an angel.  The angel is speaking to him, speaking about his dilemma. 

“‘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’.

“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’)”.  

It’s a builder’s dream…the fascinating, powerful, mysterious, unbelievable reality of Christmas.   Christ shows up in humanity and gives us Himself.

(Watercolor "Splish Splash" by Mary Anne Hodson)