We all have high hopes for the holidays, don’t we? We often want the “Hallmark” Card experience. The perfect meal, the perfect gifts, the perfect fellowship with friends and family. We want Christmas to be one we will cherish and remember.

Trouble is – that often doesn’t happen. We don’t get everything as we wanted it. In fact, I’m guessing some of you had a Christmas to forget. Maybe even a year to forget.

If you are sitting in your office or at home and wondering why Christmas wasn’t what you thought it would be or planned it to be… guess what: The first Christmas was NOTHING anyone expected. It was actually a mess, especially for Joseph!

Matthew 1:18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.

Imagine the first Christmas for Joseph! Here are some of the highlights:
1. Your fiance is pregnant and it’s not because of you!
2. You have been assigned to raise God’s Son (Just in case you’re not doing anything for the next 30 years!)
3. No room at the inn – make do amongst the cattle.
4. There’s a bounty on your newborn’s life from the King so you have to run away, far away.
5. You have to move to the savage country of Egypt for a few years.
6. (Later in the story) Okay, Herod’s dead, move back.
7. By the way, did we tell you this is God’s ONLY BEGOTTEN SON? God is watching you very closely!

I can’t imagine Joseph had the faintest clue his first Christmas would be all that! And yet, it was just what God planned.

Maybe Christmas wasn’t what you thought it would be. That’s not always bad. God has a way of bringing beauty from bad situations. Be faithful and available to what HE has in store.

Besides, your plans weren’t nearly as great as God’s in the first place!