One neighbor came to the neighborhood Christmas party last weekend. She kept checking her phone. No, she was not being anti-social. They were expecting their first grandchild at any time. Expectation. Anticipation.
My wife received a message this morning. Baby girl. 7 lbs. Everyone well. Joy in the neighbor’s family. And the neighborhood.
That is like this season of the Christian calendar. Anticipation. Expectation. Then, Joy.
This morning I read from Matthew. He begins with the genealogy of Jesus. It was important for him to place Jesus in the context of Jewish history. The history of God working through people.
His next report is short and to the point. Mary finds herself pregnant without having had sexual relations. Then her fiancé, Joseph, hears about it (you can’t keep a secret in small villages, I know, I grew up in one). He is described as honorable. He decides he’ll just quietly divest himself of her but in such a way that she won’t be stoned. Well, a dream, an angel, God speaks. It’ll all be OK.
Dread. Expectation. Anticipation. Joy. A baby was born. They named him Joshua (the Lord saves) or in English Jesus.
Joy can be described as a temporary emotion triggered by a happy event. I think of it more as an attitude of life resulting from the indwelling of the Spirit. Joy helps us weather the inevitable disappointments and tragedies. Not at the time, but as we ride out the storm and come to a new normal living with the Spirit. Now Joy, like Peace, takes us to a deeper place.
Faith Venture 
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