I first shared this reflection in December 2021, and I feel led to share it again after coming across this bible verse:
Bible reading đź“š
Matthew 1:24 NIV
[24] When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.
Obedience 🙏
Have you ever paused to wonder… 🤔
• If Joseph had chosen fear over faith and walked away from Mary, would Jesus have grown up learning the humility and dignity of a carpenter’s hands before beginning His divine mission?
• If Mary had declined God’s call to bear His Son, would we even have the Christmas we celebrate today?
• If the shepherds had dismissed the angelic song as mere imagination, would the story of a Saviour born in a manger still be told with such wonder and awe?
• If the wise men had ignored the star in the night sky, would we understand the significance of their gifts—especially myrrh, foreshadowing Christ’s suffering and death?
Have you ever wondered these things?
I have. Not so much in earlier years, but especially during that Christmas season when I first wrote this—and every Christmas since—I have found myself pondering them deeply. And the message that rises above all else is obedience. Not casual obedience, but obedience to the call of God.
If these ordinary people had chosen disobedience over surrender, what would our world look like today without the Christmas story? It is a sobering thought.
Beyond the joy, peace, love, hope, and beauty that Christmas represents, I pray for the following as well:
• That a spirit of obedience would take root in our hearts this season—and carry us into 2026 and beyond.
• That we would truly understand Christmas as the ultimate expression of God’s forgiveness and goodwill toward humanity—Jesus Christ—given not because we deserve it, but because of God’s boundless grace and faithfulness.
So instead of merely wondering, let us challenge ourselves to live like Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men—people who obeyed God’s call despite uncertainty, discomfort, and risk. Let us share the good news of Jesus Christ, especially with those who have yet to know Him.
Truly, Jesus is what this world needs now more than ever.
How you and I are called to do this will be revealed in God’s perfect timing—but there is no better moment than now to obey. Let us not wait for ideal circumstances, financial security, or perfect readiness. God’s call on our lives was spoken from the moment He formed us in our mother’s wombs.
As we prepare to farewell 2025 and welcome 2026, let us pray for strength and courage—to walk in obedience to God’s call and that His will would prevail in our lives. May God bless us, keep us, and hold us safely always. 🙏❤️
To God be the glory always 🙏
Idau Hahine 